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Most Console Gamers Still Prefer Physical Media

Posted by Soulskill on from the cloth-map-and-dorky-keyring-syndrome dept.

arcticstoat writes "Despite the advent of online game stores on all three major consoles, most console gamers apparently still prefer hoarding collections of gaming discs to downloading games. A recent survey conducted by Ipsos in the UK revealed that 64 per cent of the 1,000 users polled would rather have games on physical discs, while only 25 per cent would prefer digital copies. In the survey, 55 per cent of those polled said price was the key factor in determining their interest in downloading games, while 27 per cent said they wanted games available online before they were in the shops. Ipsos' director Ian Bramley explained, 'Interest absolutely drops away when you get to the types of pricing that you might charge for a new physical disc. People's perceptions are that they're not prepared to pay as much for digital content — they make the connection that it's not a physical disc and therefore it should be cheaper.'"

11 of 232 comments (clear)

  1. Why I prefer physical media by Rik+Sweeney · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Because I can trade it in when I'm done.

    --
    Summation 2
    1. Re:Why I prefer physical media by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

      Which is exactly as bad as piracy and you shall burn in hell for harming the gaming industry, you monster.

    2. Re:Why I prefer physical media by krovisser · · Score: 5, Insightful

      I don't care what format it is as long as I don't have to be connected to license servers--which may or may not be running--every time I want to play.

    3. Re:Why I prefer physical media by hedwards · · Score: 5, Interesting

      Well that and things like ubisoft changing stores. I got an email from them earlier today that they'll be changing stores the beginning of August. Subsequently I won't be able to download those games again because they're not going to carry over those purchases. Now, fortunately I already have a copy, and am downloading again just to make sure that it's fully functioning, but this is why I don't generally buy download only games.

    4. Re:Why I prefer physical media by ndnspongebob · · Score: 5, Interesting

      I second that, also, i can let my friends borrow a game and try out some of their games. gaming is very social, its something we do for fun. too bad soul-sucking gaming corporations cant understand that. a game that is downloaded cant be shared, everyone has to download their own copy. so a digital game provides less value than a physical game.

    5. Re:Why I prefer physical media by fermion · · Score: 5, Insightful
      Exactly, physical games have a resale value. Imagine how hard it would be charge $30,000 for a car that had no resale value. Sure it loses 50% when you drive it off the lot, but that means there is 50% that can be recouped at any time.

      This is also why I don't think a book an ebook is worth more than $10, as long as it is released on the day of the hardback, and on $4 if it is more than a year old. With a physical book there is some inherent value. It can be sold, lent, given away. Many people can read it, and the cost of the book has to include that a certain number of sales are lost due to this. But an e-book kils the secondary market, so it does not have the value. This may mean that some people make less. So be it. There is no inherent right to profit.

      --
      "She's a scientist and a lesbian. She's not going to let it slide." Orphan Black
    6. Re:Why I prefer physical media by Mr.+Freeman · · Score: 5, Informative

      Also, if your hard drive becomes corrupted, or whoever you bought it from loses the records of your purchase you can still play your game.

      --
      -1 disagree is not a modifier for a reason. -1 troll, flaimbait, redundant, overrated are NOT acceptable substitutes.
  2. DRM by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    We're so used to getting dicked around with the inability to format shift digital media that the only thing that seems safe is physical media.

  3. Can't trade a download by GreatDrok · · Score: 5, Insightful

    The only download game I bought was GTAIV-TLAD and almost as soon as I bought it they brought out the physical copy Episodes from Liberty City with that and the Ballad of Gay Tony on it. It was twice the price of the download but didn't require a large chunk of the disc space on my Xbox (20GB launch system) so I waited until one came up pre-owned cheap and picked that up. So, I've bought TLAD twice now. If I had bought a real disc I could sell it and get some money back but I can't. Great from the game publishers but crap for buyers. I won't do it again and in fact the vast majority of games I buy are preowned or discounted substantially such as Bioshock 2 bought brand new for half price. In 6 months or so I'll pick up Red Dead Redemption once all the fuss has died down and pre-owned copies hit the market at a decent price.

    For me, if I had to buy games at full price I think I would stop buying them pretty much all together so none of my money would go into the industry - download games are just bad news.

    --
    "I have the attention span of a strobe lit goldfish, please get to the point quickly!"
  4. We're in it for the long haul by Improv · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Generally, if I have a physical copy of the game, I can expect to still run it 20 years later, long after their authentication servers have bit the dust. I still play Alpha Centauri and Civ3 fairly often, and occasionally dig out the old N16 games.

    --
    For every problem, there is at least one solution that is simple, neat, and wrong.
  5. Duh, a no brainer by Rurik · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Physical media will always be far superior to digital.

    1) Can buy the game used. Instead of paying $60 for a game, you can wait a few weeks and get it for $35-40. Within a few months, it's available for $20-30 while Steam still sells it for $60.

    2) It can be resold. After you spend 10 hours finishing that game, you can turn it around and resell it for 80% of its buying price. You can then apply that money towards #1 and buy another game for cheap.

    3) You're not stuck with it. How many games, honestly, do you still play after a year? Maybe one or two. Why be permanently stuck with a game that you'll never play again? And why be stuck with a game that sucks? How about those poor saps that paid $60 for Terminator Salvation, discovered the game could be beaten in 5 hours, and had absolutely no replay value?

    4) You can trade games. The ultimate barter. Tired of a game and need a break? Trade with a friend for a month. Want to see if a game is really fun? Borrow it from a friend. Downloadable demos do not compare.

    5) A visual reminder. Having a physical boxed item is a visual reminder that you have a game that you can play. I compare this to the Humble Games bundle I bought a few weeks back. I honestly keep forgetting that I have these games to play, since they're just icons on my desktop along with dozens of others. It's different than being bored and walking to a bookcase to view through a physical collection.