What are the pros and cons? I wanna hear arguments from both sides.
disc
the HDDs on consoles arent large enough, so the physical media makes it easier to store
plus they can be sold
>>318205857
also, physical discs are eligible for insurance coverage, whereas computer data is not
>>318205857
What about on PC? Can HDD also fail?
Physical
Pros:
>It's yours
>friends can borrow games
>you can sell them
>cartridges will last for fucking ever (for older carts, you may have to replace save batteries, but this can be done easily)
Cons:
>They take up space
>discs can be scratched if you don't take care of them
>discs have a shelf life of a few decades
Digital
Pros:
>Convenience
>Disc space is cheap
>it's all in one place
Cons:
>Unless you buy DRM free, you do not own the game you paid for. It can be taken away at any time
>can't loan to friends
>can't sell games (for the most part)
That's just off the top of my head. I like physical media and owning my shit. But everyone has their reasons for wanting either format.
>>318205950
The thing is that, once a console goes past it's generation it's harder to get one and play those games that were made for those consoles. On PC when it's released digital, it lasts forever, you can put it on a disc, HDD or USB.
>>318206330
The problem with physical on consoles is that it's static and will only work on that console generation. What happens if the disc get's damage, broken or scratched? You are done. With digital you can make unlimited backups and will work on any PC which are worldwide. And buying Digital is an even bigger con because can you even backup those games and access them without going online? That's one of the problems that Steam has. I never tried it, but if I buy Skyrim or something on a disc without having a internet connection, can I still install that game?
Bought an Xbone on thursday night
haven't played a single game yet because I have to download 65gigs for a single goddamn game because Gears of war was a digital download
The only time I go digital is for my Vita/3DS
>>318206330
>Physical
>>It's yours
lol
>Buy game physical
>Beat it
>Sell it to buy another game
>Buy game digital
>Beat it
>It sits in your digital library for the rest of eternity
>>318206487
>thread about physical vs digital media
>retard thinks we are talking about PC vs consoles
Just stop anon, you're embarrassing yourself.
Digital if it's under $15 or if I care about preloading it
Physical otherwise
>>318208285
>One day you feel like playing that game again after 6 months
>Realise you sold it for the next best thing which turned out to be shit
>cry
>Digital
>feel like playing that game from two years ago
>Play it and have fun again
I buy digital pretty often.
but buy physical when possible or when it's cheaper
>>318209112
Fuccboi listen to this. If I buy a digital game on a console, why can't I play that game on a PC? Second, what happens when that console breaks or can't be found in stores? What then? At least with PC it will last forever and you can play digital games from the 80s right now. You know how hard it is to find a NES cartridge and a new NES to play old NES games? That was just an example.
>>318206487
It's still easy as fuck to get NES games and consoles.
>>318209361
>tfw your ps3 discs stop working
God damn it theres just no winning.
>>318206330
>It's yours
>discs have a shelf life of a few decades
>>318209445
Find me a brand new NES with a brand new copy of Breath of Fire with a price that it's trying to rape your ass. I'll wait, got all night.
>>318209412
>completely missing the point
I bet you're the smartest kid in your grade.
>>318209675
>A few decades
In shit conditions. Also BDs are pretty fucking durable.
>>318209412
>You know how hard it is to find a NES cartridge and a new NES to play old NES games?
Not particularly hard. If you don't already have them, or can't find them online. There are annual retro conventions where they sell this shit.
Also. Physical disc media can indeed be played on PC through emulation.
>>318206330
>Unless you buy DRM free, you do not own the game you paid for. It can be taken away at any time
Protip: if you connect your console to the internet this is true for every game you play, physical or not.
If you have to argue about either side you're a fucking moron. Physical copies will always be better. If you disagree you're a faggot who was born in the mid nineties or later.
>>318209934
>They can literally fry your disc in its drive on command
>>318210124
This. Only people I've ever seen that argue in favor of digital are late 90s and onwards mobile phone gen faggots.
Guys, is disc rot real?
>>318204830
I bought physical for the first time in 5 or so years with Fallout 4 PC because of AUD/USD conversion.
>get home
>install game
>dvd had 5gb of the 25gb needed to run the game
Physical media for what purpose?
>>318210317
On shitty early era CDs when in bad conditions.
Whatever is cheapest
>>318210132
>fry
>implying they can't vaporize your game and console
I have a data cap on my internet (fuck comcast) and I already get to 90+% of it with some gaming and netflix. A game or two download would push me over. Not to mention prices drop considerably faster for physical.
>>318204830
>DISK
It's disc, they're optical.
Physical but only out of necessity. My internet sucks too much for digital purchases.
>>318210317
idk but:
>have FF13 and MK9 on ps3
>played both only a coule times max
>not a single scratch
>my ps3 can't read them anymore
I didn't even got to finish FF13, such a shame, I'm in the mood for some FF.
Disc especially with new games
A personal case in point
>Buy MGSV for 60 euro
>Thought it was meh, but really it was shit and could have been far far better
>Trade it in for 49 euro after getting everything out of it
Where as
>Was going to preorder from pc but didnt
>turned out wasn't even data on the discs, just fucking keys and
>I wouldnt have been able to bring it back and get money
Physical all day everydya
>>318210734
Only those two? What about other games? Maybe its the laser?
>>318204830
digital
+better for lazy people. don't have to go find your games
+game console is much quieter because its not running a disk
-not all games are compressed properly for digital. some games are massive when they don't need to be
physical
+you can trade and borrow physical games
+don't have to worry about accounts, you actually own the game
-they take up physical space and having a large collection gets in the way
-disk read noise
we're at the point where digital is the way to go. but yeah, devs need to start compressing sound and shit properly so we don't end up with 20+gig games. i usually buy physical versions when i know the game won't have replay value, and save digital for multiplayer games or games i'd play a lot.
>>318211034
the quieter shit isnt relevant for ps4/xbone
it installs all data from disc to the hdd then it only initially uses the disc for verification before running off hdd
>>318210981
only those 2, I have a 30+ library and I switch games fairly often.
It just fuckin baffles me, they aren't games I hold dear but I enjoyed them none the less.
>>318209934
Discs are better and they dont dissapear forever like most of digital games like the punisher no mercy i wanted to play it so bad but you cant buy it anymore
>>318204830
Ran out of space on my Wii U after two games. So yeah, disc.
>>318211453
Well thats fucked, have you tried with another ps3? Maybe like a friends house or something? I heard that if you have disc rot there will be small transparent holes in the disc. If you hold it up towards a light the light will pass through the disc. Pic related
>>318212123
Haven't tried on other ps3, but I'll do the light check now and post results.
I don't have a friend with a ps3 tho, they're all pcfags.
>>318204830
Only physical you stupid cúcks. Being digital you choose future with less consumer rights and more DRM. Bet you wouldn't mind to register games and consoles with your own ID...
When you collect physical media - the onus is on you to keep your collection in working condition.
When you buy digitally - you're relying on the service to keep your collection available.
Whose to say GoG or Humble Bundle or even Steam won't go belly up one day? Whose to say publishersand devs won't patch your games to remove content like with Rockstar and GTA VC/SA?
I've brought from digitally stores that have gone belly up. The only reason I didn't lose those games is because I backed them up on physical media.
You have more control with discs.
>>318212602
Honest question, how do you properly take care of your discs? I have a big collection but I've been digital when the price is low enough.
Also to be fair there are games you can't even play without a 10gb update.
physical since i have the game and digital is a service so if it goes out of service then the game is gone
>>318212034
>WiiU
It's 30 fucking gigs of course you're gonna run out quick. We're talking about real consoles and PC here.
>>318209307
I'll just buy the game again if I really want it, chances are it will be much cheaper.
>>318212602
But, can't you backup those games on a HDD in regards to GoG games and Steam games? How do you backup a console game disc? If your copy is fucked, then that's it. Plus, what happens when the console stops working in 5-7 years?
>>318213292
Chances are the console will be cheap, also my ps3 is still going since launch, not a single repair.
>>318213292
>Plus, what happens when the console stops working in 5-7 years?
Well - if you were a PS3 or Xbox 360 user you'd be in the same position as users who only went digital during that generation.
>>318204830
Both have pros and cons. Ultimately though I wish we all went digital because that would be the most ecological friendly option.
Maybe in the future
>>318206890
Your argument is shit because you're comparing physical on consoles to digital on PCs. If I buy MGSV on PS3 digital I have to buy it again on PS4 digital, and PC discs exist.
>>318214239
>and PC discs exist.
They do but are glorified keys. Old PC gamers must be rolling in their graves knowing retards are buying DRM copy of games that are tied to a fucking account.
>>318204830
Downloading games is faster and easier. But you run the risk of not being able to download it later if the company fails.
Physical games allow you to always have the game. But most games these days have tons of updates and DLC, which can make a physical copy cost more in the long run. Also, physical disks can degrade over time (as well as being scratched or broken).
I still say physical is better. I only get a digital game if its 4x cheaper or something.
>>318215494
>Downloading games is faster and easier.
This is false for the majority of people. It's faster to have the disc in and install in the HDD. Otherwise you'd have to download from Steam then install, and that process depends on how good your internet connection, which isn't great for many people outside of South Korean and Japan.
>But you run the risk of not being able to download it later if the company fails.
This is true. But if the game is DRM free, you can always make copies of it and distribute them online so many other people can experience it. Which is funny because lots of pirated games today cannot be found for some reason.
>But most games these days have tons of updates and DLC, which can make a physical copy cost more in the long run. Also, physical disks can degrade over time (as well as being scratched or broken).
This is the main concern, you can't make copies of those games that are already in the disc.
>I still say physical is better. I only get a digital game if its 4x cheaper or something.
Same.
