The Pros and Cons of Physical vs Digital Gaming
Ever since video games were made available on online marketplaces, the debate of physical vs digital video games has raged on. But with pros and cons for each, what choice is actually the best? Well, to be honest, this article won’t answer that- at least, not definitively. Instead, I’ll be looking at each to determine the upsides and downsides of each medium- and which is the best choice for each individual player (or it may just add more fuel to the fire). Either way, let’s take a dive into the debate to glean some sort of conclusive answer.
Physical games
The medium that started it all! In the 1980s and 90s, if you wanted to play a game, you had no real choice other than going to a store and receiving it over the register. Of course, with the introduction of online marketplaces with the Playstation 3 and Xbox 360, this process changed for a lot of people. However, in the early days of these storefronts, most people still purchased their videogames from physical stores and (later on) from online vendors like Amazon. Although the majority of new videogame sales are now done digitally, the physical market is keeping up in an impressive way. When compared to TV shows and Movie sales, physical media in video games is still relevant and still manages to sell well. But why is that? Well, a lot of it comes down to ownership.
Most of the time, when watching a movie, it’s a short two-ish hour experience that you likely won’t watch again for a while. Conversely, video games have quickly become 50+ hour huge experiences that can take months to beat. This gives consumers far more of a connection to these products and makes it so much more rewarding to see that game you beat on your shelf. On top of this, the price point of the new, next-gen videogames is £70- which is far more than the £10-£15 of new DVD movie releases. It’s much more of a commitment to buy a videogame- which is why it’s more compelling to have a physical version for a lot of players. It also grants the opportunity to sell games you no longer need to buy new experiences- which is something simply not possible for digital products.
As streaming services like Netflix and Prime Video grow in popularity, people are becoming a lot more protective of their physical media- especially considering how this has leaked into the gaming sphere with Game Pass and Playstation’s new PS Plus model. It’s no surprise that those who grew up with physical copies of games want to keep their collection and see it grow with retro and new releases alike. In that light, the second-hand games industry shines. The ability to play older video games for consoles like the Playstation 2 or certain original Xbox games is only available for physical collectors. For example, when the Wii U eShop closes, the only way to play the vast library of excellent Gamecube titles will be on the console itself. This is because of companies like Nintendo not allowing players to access their games in any other way- which is simply self-destructive. From a preservation standpoint, physical is a clear winner.
Digital games
But then, of course, there’s a strong argument to be made for the opposite: digital games. The most referenced upside for digital media (not just games) is convenience. The ability to sit in front of your television and watch or play anything you’d like is the reason why streaming services have become so popular. For casual gamers, this is why Game Pass is so well-loved. With a constantly shifting lineup of games, why would you take a risk of spending between £20-£60 on a new indie or AAA release when you can just try out whatever is new on Xbox’s curated collection? And of course, if you don’t like it, you can move on to another in the 100+ library. Digital is simply the easier option for those who don’t have the time or effort to buy games physically- which is completely understandable.
Digital games are also often given huge discounts across multiple storefronts. Of course, the biggest (and greatest) for offering these is Steam. From the Winter sale to the Summer sale, games are very often discounted to pennies- which is absurd when considering that you could acquire a wide selection of incredible games for the price of just one newer release. If you just bought games from storefront sales, not only would you save money, but you would also be giving yourself the opportunity to try out games you never would have tried otherwise. For example, you may think that Hades looks a little out of your comfort zone, but seeing it on sale for less than £10 could be the reason you buy it- and this could become one of your favorite games of all time. This leads to the accessibility argument again. Simply put, for someone who just wants to play as many games as possible (and for the lowest price), nothing beats digital offerings. With frequent sales and monthly subscriptions giving hundreds of hours of content for a low price, digital games are undoubtedly the best option for most casual gamers and those on a budget.
Why not both?
Of course, you don’t have to pick a side at all. In fact, having a mix of physical and digital games is probably the way to go. With marketplaces such as Steam offering the easiest access to a large library of games and services like Game Pass backing it, digital games certainly have their place. Conversely, physical games allow collectors to enjoy their pieces of media further than just simply playing them. This goes double for collectors’ editions and bonuses you get for owning the physical product. Then again, you might want to avoid the clutter that comes about with some of the more infamous physical bonuses (looking at you- creepy Sonic keyring from Sonic Colours pre-orders).
So really, it comes down to you. Do you prefer to have a large stack of games that you can build up and show off? Then physical is for you. Or do you just want to turn on your console/PC and instantly start playing games without the fuss of switching discs and seeking out the game physically? In this case, you’d best stick with digital. Either way, neither medium is going away- so feel free to pick a side or mingle with both. Nobody’s going to judge you for it! Well, as long as you don’t share that on the internet. In fact, it’s probably best that you don’t tell anyone- just in case. And if you do feel like sharing, well, good luck.
