Physical Media Trend?

Reserved for modern gaming discussions.
User avatar
VideoGameCritic
Site Admin
Posts: 18102
Joined: April 1st, 2015, 7:23 pm

Physical Media Trend?

Postby VideoGameCritic » October 2nd, 2021, 9:37 pm

I've noticed a trend in gaming in recent years which I actually find quite appealing.

Most games are released digitally. In this form they usually go through several iterations to solidify and add features. If the game is a success, it is eventually released on physical media (providing it's not irrevocably tethered to online play).

The downside to this is that physical gamers get the game list - sometimes years after its initial release. The good news is, it's usually a polished, full-featured game in its "final" form.

I think this is a win for all gamers. Early adopters can get in on the action immediately, while collectors don't get left in the cold.

Thoughts?

matmico399
Posts: 1419
Joined: November 25th, 2015, 6:11 pm

Re: Physical Media Trend?

Postby matmico399 » October 3rd, 2021, 6:51 pm

I luv the idea. VGC I'm just like you in that I always want physical media. The download thing makes me crazy as well. Very good question to ask as I've been wondering about that.

User avatar
Matchstick
Posts: 977
Joined: October 26th, 2017, 6:45 am

Re: Physical Media Trend?

Postby Matchstick » October 3rd, 2021, 11:15 pm

I get where you're coming from, Critic, but is it really a "win" to let developers release half-baked products, so long as they iron out the kinks before they release a physical copy? I dunno, man...

Myself, I never buy any game at release, even the ones I am excited about playing. Then again, I tend to only buy one or two modern physical releases a year - at most. The vast majority of my gaming dollar is spent on used recent games and decades-old classic titles.

To me, it's always worth it to wait. Get the game on sale / discount / clearance, and let the good times roll. I can afford $60 or so on new releases, but what's the point, when it will just be on sale for $35 in a few weeks?

I never wait to buy a game purely to wait for patches or updates to be released. If it gets some bonus content between the time it releases and the time I buy it, great. But waiting for a developer to "fix" something before I buy it - something that should have been "fixed" from the get-go - is something I just can't get behind.

I enjoy buying digital games - when the price is right. Take a game I'm interested in, drop the price to $5 or less on the eShop, and it's practically a guaranteed sale for me. But I hate paying more than a few bucks for any downloadable game. In fact, I flat-out refuse. But there are situations where the download is on sale for $2, while the physical copy, if one exists, is some sort of Limited Run BS that retails for over $100, pre-owned.

Cases like that are a no-brainer - to the eShop I go.

If I can get a physical copy years after release, for something in the under $20 range, fine. I'm in. If it's some sort of patched-up final revision, all the better. But I don't buy games to be collector's items. You'll never get me with the "Fear of Missing Out" if I don't pre-order a physical release of a certain title. If I can find it years after the fact for a fair price, score. But if I can't, then it wasn't meant to be.


Return to “Modern Gaming”