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Buying Boxed Games - Important To The Gaming Experience?

Posted by simoniker on from the click-and-buy dept.

Thanks to GameSpot for its 'GuestSpotting' editorial, in which a reader discusses why going to the store and buying a videogame is a vital part of his gaming experience. He argues: "When I hear talk of the future and how broadband-enabled gaming platforms will allow us to download entire games without leaving the comfortable wombs of our homes, I shudder", and sings the praises of "...a place where you can look over your collection [of game boxes] with pride, reminding you of the enemies you have defeated, the points you have scored, the races you have won, and, of course, the money that has been spent." Although the author of the editorial admits he's somewhat of "a fetishist when it comes to the corporeal aspect of the video games", are you happy with buying games that have no related physical artifacts?

4 of 150 comments (clear)

  1. clutter by m0rphin3 · · Score: 3, Funny

    I usually toss the boxes. I've got no space to spare for huge, over-wrapped game boxes which I will never open again. Unlike books or films, games need to be installed and/or require some time to 'get into' if you haven't played them for a while, so it's not something you take down from the shelf and play for two hours and then put back up.

    And this guy seems slightly out of tune. If you start telling your friends that 'this box commemorates the Great War on Kilrah' and 'I lost some good men in that campaign', they should have you committed.

    --
    for great justice
  2. Re:needs a girlfriend by dzym · · Score: 4, Funny
    Every game is available online, via a download.

    "Hundreds of games" in your "collection" and you call that guy a loser?

  3. Re:Buying Games Online by ajax0187 · · Score: 2, Funny
    I'll have to agree with the article on this one. Yes, buying games online does save alot of time, effort and paper, but it's nice to have something tangible.

    Plus, buying a physical thing also allows you to have an actual manual, which is a must. You can have your .pdf and word files for figuring out the game. Give me a nice beefy book anyday. Yes, I know, most books that come with games are usually found inside the jewel case and contain a half-page of useful data, but I can dream, can't I?

    --
    "By and large, language is a tool for concealing the truth." - George Carlin
  4. Re:Physical artifacts ... by Tofino · · Score: 3, Funny
    So even when (if) HL2 comes out and it launches on store shelves and over Steam, I'd still buy the store version. No questions about it.

    Also a practical consideration there: by the time you've successfully downloaded HL2 via Steam, HL3's source will have been stolen already.