General Gaming Why do gamers still buy physical games? (Survey)

[Pikachu]

https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2018-09-14-why-do-gamers-still-buy-physical-games

 

Quote

The physical games market may be in decline, but it remains a hugely lucrative area that's worth billions of dollars worldwide.

 

Indeed, when it comes to AAA launches, an estimated 75% of an average game's sale still comes via physical goods sold via Amazon, GAME, GameStop and the rest.

 

We teamed up with ISFE and Ipsos Mori's GameTrack consumer survey to ask buyers of physical games why they choose boxes over downloads.

 

For buyers across Spain, UK, France and Germany, the main reason for gamers acquiring physical items is because they simply like having a boxed collection. Out of the 3,090 boxed game buyers surveyed (representing 15.3 million people), 32% said that owning a collection is why they chose physical over digital.

 

The second most popular answer is due to price. 18% of respondents say they bought a physical item because it was discounted in store, while 13% said it costs less money to buy games physically.

 

Another big reason for owning physical is the ability to lend a game, sell a game or gift a game to other people. 17% said they buy physical so they can play the game in different locations or lend to a friend/family member, while 13% said they want the ability to give the game to someone else. 12% said they like the ability to sell the game when they are finished.

 

[crispy4000]

I like the lending idea most, which is the primary reason for me.  I tend to buy local multiplayer games on disc so I don't have to lug the console itself around if my friend owns the platform but not the game.  (though Switch simplifies that)

 

Discounts probably come second.  It's no secret that going all digital is more expensive on consoles.  Walled gardens.  Buying physical at retail, new or used, is often the cheapest way to go.  Though typically not as cheap as PC digital.

[Biggie]

I hate discs and carts. 

[Brian]

Digital copies have the least value on consoles.  Now, Microsoft is taking steps to make digital copies more appealing to me from allowing refunds, backward compatiblity, play anywhere, and pricing (Game pass).  

[XxEvil AshxX]

I buy them because I'm poor and I can re-sell them to buy something else.

[ort]

Because I usually don't buy the latest and greatest and physical discs are always way way cheaper.

 

I wish I could go all digital, but I'm too cheap.

 

I'm 100% digital on the Switch though.

[Chris-]

For me, it comes down to two things - 1. the ability to re-sell the game and 2. my inherent distrust of DRM. 

[skillzdadirecta]

They're cheaper faster.

[TwinIon]

I buy physical because they're almost universally cheaper, I can lend the game to a friend, and I can sell it when I'm done. Even if I'm getting ripped off buy Gamestop/Bestbuy/etc., if I know I'm not going to play a game again, I'm better off just trading it in. I've been bad about that in general, but I recently just took a bunch of relatively recent games in for $120 worth of credit.

 

I'll buy digitally when it's a game I know I'll come back to and I know I won't get a better price on, but those have been few and far between.

[Dre801]

I have mostly physical.  I wonder why I even put a 2TB drive in my PS4.

[Hurdyb1]

I buy mostly digital nowadays  but the reasons I still buy physical:

 

- disc may be cheaper at times

- I still enjoy connecting with people with similar interest in stores.

- Sometimes depending on the game I might buy a physical copy due to the nature of digital games that could disappear from PSN/Live due to licensing practices.

[Zaku3]

16 minutes ago, Hurdyb1 said:

I buy mostly digital nowadays  but the reasons I still buy physical:

 

- disc may be cheaper at times

- I still enjoy connecting with people with similar interest in stores.

- Sometimes depending on the game I might buy a physical copy due to the nature of digital games that could disappear from PSN/Live due to licensing practices.

 

That last part isn't an issue atleast on steam. I still have that Ghostbusters game in my library. You can't buy it new but you still get to keep the games. 

 

I prefer digital being a PC gamer but consoles have little incentive. Physical games tend to go on sale faster. It sucks losing the amazon prime discount but atleast we get a 10 dollar promo and I buy enough from amazon to use it.

 

Edit: Internet is another issue. Atleast innthe US not everyone can get high speed internet.

[Nokra]

I keep buying them for no particularly good reason...

 

I resent the DRM common to a lot of digital platforms, though obviously buying physical is not a surefire way to avoid this.  Still, it's a bit better to go physical here.

 

Beyond that I keep telling myself that then I can loan them out to friends, sell them and get some of my investment back, etc. But of course in reality, I do none of these things. So like I said... no particular reason I guess.

[Hurdyb1]

22 minutes ago, Zaku3 said:

 

That last part isn't an issue atleast on steam. I still have that Ghostbusters game in my library. You can't buy it new but you still get to keep the games. 

 

 

It's the same thing on the consoles, you keep it if you have purchased it.

[atom631]

Pre-order discounts. 

[EternallDarkness]

5 hours ago, skillzdadirecta said:

They're cheaper faster.

 

this indeed

[CastlevaniaNut18]

Well, it was because of pre-order discounts. 

 

But I just haven't had a reason to switch to digital on console. 

[Mithan]

I hate disks, but I can see these decisions biting us in the ass in 10 or 20 years from now when your PS4 still works but the hard drive is corrupt, you can't download anything on it anymore and you don't have a physical copy of it anymore to play.  

 

Then again, when was the last time you put an old system in to play it?  

[CastlevaniaNut18]

3 minutes ago, Mithan said:

 

 

Then again, when was the last time you put an old system in to play it?  

You should see my game room. 

[Biggie]

26 minutes ago, Mithan said:

I hate disks, but I can see these decisions biting us in the ass in 10 or 20 years from now when your PS4 still works but the hard drive is corrupt, you can't download anything on it anymore and you don't have a physical copy of it anymore to play.  

 

Then again, when was the last time you put an old system in to play it?  

I’m the worst. Once I put a game down I hardly ever go back to it. 

[AndrewDean84]

Because I rarely want to play games after I beat them, so I trade them in when there's a great deal. It's how I got my PS4 Pro.

[AbsolutSurgen]

I buy digital because it’s generally cheaper and gets you the best version of the game. 

[RedSoxFan9]

https://comicbook.com/movies/2018/09/12/apple-removes-purchased-movies-from-itunes-libraries/

 

apple has removed movies from iTunes libraries without warning

[Jason]

On PC I'm all digital, on Switch I buy physical unless a game is digital-only since I'm still not thrilled with Nintendo's policies for what happens if you break/lose your system.

[DarkStar189]

I've built up quite a big collection of digital games on PS4. Most of them were bought on a deep sale though. Usually for a cheaper price then in store. Most recent being Battlefield 1 for $5.19 on the PSN with a free season pass. There is store that can come close to that for a physical version. 

[BuckFly]

On September 14, 2018 at 12:36 PM, Hurdyb1 said:

I buy mostly digital nowadays  but the reasons I still buy physical:

 

- disc may be cheaper at times

- I still enjoy connecting with people with similar interest in stores.

- Sometimes depending on the game I might buy a physical copy due to the nature of digital games that could disappear from PSN/Live due to licensing practices.

 

Hurdy, good response but I really love the "connecting with people" one.

 

i have so many fond memories of shooting the s*** with other gamers at GameStop.  Sometimes when the GM would close up a few of us would grab a bite to eat before heading back to game.

 

...good times.

[Nokt]

Guess I'm part of that 6% on CE editions. Though some games have started doing digital downloads in the CE.

[misfit410]

There are games you will keep forever, and some you will want to sell at some point I suppose.

[SaysWho?]

- Almost always cheaper unless I find a good flash sale

- I have GCU until the end of next year

- Can sell it for decent money on Amazon/Ebay and Best Buy offers higher trade-in until my GCU runs out

- Companies have removed games from digital storefronts, sometimes due to licensing agreements

- I like how the cases look

- Many special edition cases, like Sonic Mania Plus and Shadow of the Colossus, are really nice

[Hurdyb1]

Another reason, I may have a coupon I can only use on a physical purchase. This just happen to me this weekend and I got Madden 19 for $35

[ALIEN-gunner]

4 hours ago, misfit410 said:

There are games you will keep forever, and some you will want to sell at some point I suppose.

I've sold a lot of games I wish I hadn't. When I buy games now I just ask myself do I want this forever? If yes I buy digitally. If no I pass. 

[Rodimus]

On 9/14/2018 at 11:20 AM, Dre801 said:

I have mostly physical.  I wonder why I even put a 2TB drive in my PS4.

I know the answer. It is because you have to install even physical games. I know that is why I have a 2 TB drive in my PS4.

 

I also like physical releases. It gives me the most freedom. I can loan it to a friend. They can't remove it for the Digital Store. I can sell it. The game physically has value. I do also buy digital when no other option or the price is right. Deep discounts and these flash sales get me. However if the physical release is just a few dollars more I will get the physical. Sometimes I will double dip if the price is right.

[Keyser_Soze]

Some time ago I had a lot of physical copies of 360 games, some played some not. I sold a lot of them and re bought them digitally either on Xbox or Steam. I just don’t have room for a bunch of game cases anymore.

[darkness35]

I like Shiny.

[JohnnyPhatsaqs]

Until my BB gamers club unlocked expires....meh on digital where physical is available.  Also, since there are no packaging, shipping etc costs, it is chicken shit digital cost the same.