Age old controversy, what are the pros and cons of buying physical or digital.
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Congratulations, you have now participated in one of humanities least important but most passionate debates. Physical verses digital video games. Video games have come a long way from blowing dust out of cartridges and hoping the game magically works again. Today, players can choose between physical games (discs and cartridges that you can actually hold) and digital games (files you download straight to your console or computer). Both options are great, but they each come with their own pros and cons. Choosing between them is kind of like choosing between pizza and burgers. So let’s break it down.
Let’s touch on physical games first. Those are the games that you hold in your hand, the nostalgia, the classic feel of plastic, the collectible stack on a shelf. One of the biggest advantages of physical games is ownership. When you buy a physical copy, it’s yours. You can lend it to a friend, trade it in a store, or sell it online if you decide you’ve had enough. This is great for saving money, especially if you’re the type of person who finishes a game then never touches it again. Another fun benefit is collecting. Some people love building a game library and showing it off like a trophy case. There’s something satisfying about seeing rows of colored cases lined up neatly. It makes you feel like a serious gamer, even if you only play for 20 minutes. Physical copies can also come with bonus items, like posters, maps, or cool art work. We all know about the loot boxes that would drop with games like Dragon Age. Two hundred dollars for collectibles? Bought and sold! However, physical games are not perfect. For starters, you can easily loose them or they can get damaged. Also, switching games can feel like a lot of effort when you have to remove them from disc drives. Which does not come standard on all consoles or computers anymore. For example, the disc drive for a Playstation 5 was an added 60 USD. Suddenly, physical gaming doesn’t seem as fun. not only are you spending more money, you now have to get some exercise but getting up over and over. Ain’t nobody got time for that. Sadly, unless you spend the money for a collectors edition game you will no longer get booklets. gaming companies tries to play this off like it was going to be a cost savor but then never decreased the cost of the game. Looking at you Playstation and Xbox, we see you. Now let’s move on to digital gaming. As we all know digital games are downloaded directly onto console or computers, meaning there’s no physical copies at all. Convenience is the biggest factor here. You can scroll an online store, click a few buttons, and boom… you’re got a new game. It’s almost to easy, which is great until you check you bank account and realize you’ve bought five games in one night. Another advantage is that you can’t necessarily loose them as you would digital. Your games are tied to your account, so as long as you remember your password you’re good. You can also switch between games quickly. It’s perfect for those people who are allergic to getting up or seeing other people at all. You do have to consider now however, a lot of gaming companies are removing refunds for all digital games. Which means you better know you want the games before buying it. Digital games are also huge, sometimes taking up dozens of or even hundreds off of gigabytes. You might have to delete some old games to make room for new. This can be super frustrating, especially the wait times for downloads if you want to replay something. Internet access is another important factor for digital games. Better pre-prep your updates because it’s going to take days if you don’t have decent speeds. In extremes cases, platforms have been shutting down as well. When you have digital games, you can say good bye to your game or account. We know recently that Anthem was recently shut down online. Sadly, all those trophies are now unobtainable. Which really sucks for those trophies hunters that we all know. So at this point, which is better? Digital vs. digital video games? The answer really depends on what kind of gamer you are. If you like collecting and showing off games, physical is definitely for you. If you value convenience, quick access, and a clutter free space, digital games might be the way to go. Most gamers use a mix of both. They might buy physical copies of games that they are really into to while downloading digital for smaller games. At this point you can pick and choose whatever your heart desires, convenience or something you can hold and have forever. Either way, you’re still end up spending way too much, in both time and money. *images are not owned or created by The Hunter’s Cabin*
Why It Matters
This update matters to trophy hunters because new releases, platform changes, subscription drops, and community trends can affect what players choose to play, complete, and discuss next.