Physical Games vs. Digital Games

Battle of the Formats

It's no secret that when it comes to our entertainment we live in a digital age. There are multiple streaming services for movies and shows, and Spotify and Apple Music are the most common platforms to stream the newest albums. Video games are no exception. Digital games have been around for quite a while now, and really started to take off with the introduction of PS4 and Xbox One. The physical and digital debate is a very contentious topic in the gaming community. So, I'm here to offer my opinion.

Convenience

When it comes to convenience, digital wins by a landslide. It has the same type of convenience as a streaming service, where you don't have to get off of your couch to change discs. You don't have to worry about discs or cartridges being ruined, and it certainly saves space. I recently had to get more shelving for my entertainment center so that I could have space to store all my games. With digital, all you need is the system itself. I certainly see the appeal when it comes to portable systems, like the Nintendo Switch. Being able to only throw the console in your bag and know you have your entire collection is nice if you frequently game on the go. It's also worth noting that if you pre-order a digital version of a title, it can be downloaded early so that it is instantly available on release day.

Ownership

On the topic of ownership, it would seem that physical is the way to go. Digital games tend to be delisted and removed from online stores after a certain point. This means that if the individual has not downloaded the game to their system, their license to play the game has been revoked. An infamous example is the PT demo. The PT demo was a short snippet of a Silent Hill remake. The demo was released for PlayStation users to high acclaim. Eventually, the remake was cancelled, and the demo was removed from the PlayStation Store and even from some PlayStation systems. Since the demo was popular for streamers and game reviewers, there was quite a bit of outrage. It even caused the seller markets to fluctuate, as PlayStation systems with the PT demo still available were being sold for insane prices.

Both Xbox and PlayStation have subscription services, known as Gamepass and PlayStation Plus respectively. One of the major benefits of these services is the ability to download monthly games which you are allowed to play as long as you are a subscription member. The problem is, if you let your subscription lapse you no longer have access to these games. Essentially, it's a more expensive version of a video game rental. A common selling point for Xbox is saying that a game is being released along with Gamepass so there's no need to buy the game if you are part of the subscription service.

I'm a PS Plus subscriber, meaning I have access to a monthly game selection. I will often try out games before deciding if I want to by a physical version for my collection.

With a physical version, none of the above issues apply. As long as you have a working copy of the game and the proper hardware you can play and replay as many times as you like.

Deals

Everyone loves a good deal, especially when it comes to expensive hobbies like video games. In this particular aspect, I find physical to be a better choice. That's not to say that digital titles don't go on sale, but it's far more common to find a physical copy for a much lower price than the same game on a digital store front. If you have a physical copy of a game you don't play anymore, you have a chance to trade it in at certain stores or sell it on a third-party marketplace such as eBay. With digital, once that money is spent there's no real way to reclaim it. It can be extremely difficult to get a refund from a digital storefront.

This leads into my next point-digital only systems. During the last gaming generation, Xbox released a version of their console without a disk drive at a slightly cheaper price point. This generation, Xbox did something similar with the Xbox Series S, an all-digital version of the new Xbox that is half the price of the Xbox Series X. The PS5 also had an all-digital version that was $100 cheaper. Although this might seem like you’re saving money at the time, since digital games are often sold at full price the money that you save can vanish quite quickly. Furthermore, digital only systems are incapable of playing disc-based games, whereas disc-based systems can play both digital and physical copies. Imagine finding a game you've wanted for months at a cheap price but being unable to play it because your system does not support it.

This game released five years ago and is often listed on digital storefronts for full price. I was able to by a physical copy a year after release for $20.

Hardware Space

Unfortunately, the days of putting in a disc and playing almost immediately are far behind us. With a physical copy of a game, the information is copied from the disk onto the system hardware which means it takes up the same amount of space internally as a fully digital title. The downside is that you have to put the disk in to play the game. The one upside to copying from a physical disk is that the game will continue to do so even if you lose Internet access. However, I definitely understand the appeal of digital when it comes to hardware space. I've already had to upgrade my PlayStation’s internal storage despite having most of my games on disc. Digital wins a point here.

Final Thoughts

If you can't tell, I am partial to physical versions of games. That does not mean that I hate digital titles. I believe it's important to have a mix and get each game in a way that is most convenient for you. However, physical games might not be around forever. Sony and Microsoft are really pushing digital games entirely, with Nintendo offering digital content for specific games. The upcoming sequel to Alan Wake has been confirmed to be a digital only release. Microsoft heavily advertises Gamepass rather than buying games outright. Losing physical games entirely would mean that many video game stores would be gone forever. If you are partial to digital games, that is perfectly fine. The important thing is that consumers get to play the games how they want instead of being forced one way or the other.

This post was written by Vanessa Hart, creator of Deep Dive Gaming.