PC gamers: do you prefer having physical copies or digital keys for games

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Dstarzero

272 posts

Ultimate Geek

#161834 21-Jan-2015 12:35

and Why?

just pollin

reven

3743 posts

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#1219011 21-Jan-2015 12:37

digital

means I can download as many times as I want on many computers.
No need to have the disc in the the tray (hardly an issue any more, but still)
can get games that are very hard to find a physical copy of (on the flip side some games you cant buy digitally anymore but can activate the cd key on steam, e.g. Deadpool)
so much cheaper
so much easier to just click "Buy now" and have the game begin downloading and installing

Item

1717 posts

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#1219032 21-Jan-2015 12:48

Haven't bough a physical PC game in 5+ years!

Not bothered about having the box or collectible gewgaws - I just want the game at the best price in the quickest way and the knowledge that it is backed up and available to me wherever I want.

wasabi2k

2096 posts

Uber Geek

#1219047 21-Jan-2015 13:09

Digital:
Never risk losing it
I don't have a CD/DVD drive connected any more (just a USB one)
Quicker to D/L and install than use a disc
I get games for less than a quarter normal retail during Steam Sales.

hio77

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Lizard Networks

#1219050 21-Jan-2015 13:12

Digital.

most games nowdays by the time you get them your downloading a GB or two of patches before playing them regardless..

Disks are easy to misplace, if i had a disk for every game i have on steam there would be stacks everywhere...

No need to shop around, and often cheaper online.

And finally its just easier...

#include <std_disclaimer>

Any comments made are personal opinion and do not reflect directly on the position my current or past employers may have.

macuser

2120 posts

Uber Geek

#1219054 21-Jan-2015 13:18

Digital if it is provided by a company that I expect to exist in 5 years, like Steam/Uplay/Origin

I've bought some digital games that are simply just file downloads, which make me feel uneasy due to the fact that if that service goes away then all will be lost.

Also the reason why steam/origin/uplay are good options is because you can redeem games purchased outside of these services.

For example I get almost all of my games from Amazon or green man gaming, and use the key provided to activate on steam/origin/uplay

Lias

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#1219067 21-Jan-2015 13:28

Digital

I'm a geek, a gamer, a dad, a Quic user, and an IT Professional. I have a full rack home lab, size 15 feet, an epic beard and Asperger's. I'm a bit of a Cypherpunk, who believes information wants to be free and the Net interprets censorship as damage and routes around it. If you use my Quic signup you can also use the code R570394EKGIZ8 for free setup.

Batman

Mad Scientist
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#1219069 21-Jan-2015 13:29

digital. no optical drive!

Equinox IT

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BigPipeNZ

1170 posts

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BigPipe

#1219071 21-Jan-2015 13:30

The only really good reason to own physical discs nowadays would be if you had poor internet speeds and/or low datacap which makes accessing digital versions harder.

So obviously being with Bigpipe for an ISP, I always go for digital copy since I have awesome unlimited internets.

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Incindre

117 posts

Master Geek

#1221011 23-Jan-2015 19:04

Digital all the way. The last game I bought on physical media was Battlefield 3, but only because it was cheaper than through Origin (which extorted us Kiwi's dramatically in the early days).
I might consider buying the collectors edition of The Witcher 3, because CDPR are the top-chaps of the gaming world and I love the games and their lore etc. having the physical map and the sexy steel case will be nice.

MadEngineer

4271 posts

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#1221017 23-Jan-2015 19:13

digital for all the reasons already mentioned

a cousin brought a game for me once in a retail package along with a couple of add-ons. I promptly just added the key into steam :)

don't forget you're sure to get automatic updates.

You're not on Atlantis anymore, Duncan Idaho.

Inphinity

2780 posts

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#1221020 23-Jan-2015 19:25

They still make physical box copies? Wow...

richms

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#1221021 23-Jan-2015 19:25

Digital for sure. Less wasted resources making round shiney things and shipping them means its more eco stuff, and I am not needlessly paying for box shifters and running the risk of getting a scratched and damaged disc etc.

Also dont have to have somewhere to put the things, dont have to worry about if I can find it if I need to reinstall etc.

Richard rich.ms

AHitman

85 posts

Master Geek

#1221595 24-Jan-2015 22:15

Digital
I stopped buying physical media when they all started being tied to online DRM, from then onward there was no longer any point.
Physical DRM was horrible, anyone remember StarForce DRM?

sidefx

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#1221600 24-Jan-2015 22:27

I still have all my physical boxes for all the classic games I loved: fallout, baldurs gate, icewind dale, warcraft, planescape, system shock 2... but yeah these days I always go digital. Having the the physical box just doesn't have the same attraction as it used to. But then they just don't make games like they used to :p

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