Digital Vs Physical Purchases (PC GAMING)

"ONLY PC GAMERS VOTE RIGHT NOW!!!"

...

Shut up

Digital Purchase . Most of the games are released on Steam first and some are Steam exclusive , so most of the games I get are from Steam . However, if the game releases on different distribution platforms at once , the I get GOG version .

Physical Purchase .? Nope , not anymore .

Voted : Steam .

I'm not a PC gamer and I vote digital!

Steam mostly, though i've a few titles from GoG, Amazon, Origin, and Humble Bundle store.

The last few games i bought a physical copy for were only for collector's edition with physical goodies: Diablo 3, Heart of the Swarm, Total War: Rome 2, etc. So generally just a few games per year.

95% games are from steam. Some games like Mafia, or free to play games are not from steam.

Steam is best thing for PC gaming. I love that steam has community unlike GoG, Amazong or Origin where is like 0 forum, just games and you totally alone.

I buy sometime something from Humble Bundle.

Physical copy? PC gaming - havent bought anything LAST 7-10 years. Console gaming? Well everything is on blu-ray..

most the digital games i have are games i already had on console before i switched to pc and got them again when they were super cheap on steam sale. i will always try to have a physical copy.

Although I say Steam, I buy a lot of my games off GMG (less Oceanic bending over) rather than from Steam directly. Those GMG codes still redeem on Steam though.

Since publishers are smert, they like to price physical copies for 20% more than what I have to pay digitally in Aus/NZ. Of course I'll stick to digital.

Oh really, I thought you were.

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Not sure Why Steam is separate on the poll from other DD services.

On the PC I think DD is the way it is. I'm okay with that now.

I genuinely think consoles will go digital in some form in the future (next gen or after), I'm betting on streaming for consoles.

i'm a bit old fashioned. i still buy physical when i can.

Most of my games are redeemed on steam though I very rarely buy from there.

Lately is GMG for me as well mostly. At least they either give 20% off codes or they price their games cheaper so the disparity between US and EU price is not that big ( i have when a game is $50 and most publishers translate it to 50euros )

Aren't they the same thing? I was cleaning out and found Starcraft Battlechest......................would not load up.

Here are 3 physical copies of PC games I own.

These 3 games are also, coincidentally, The Three Types of PC games you can get today.

The Origin Game, The Steam Game, and The Standalone Game.

Star Wars the Old Republic requires Origin to Install. The installer in the 3 Discs it gives you also comes with an Origin installer it's how I got Origin in my System.

Super Meat Boy does something similar, except during the Install it tells you YOU MUST HAVE Steam installed. I already had it installed so I don't know if Super Meat Boy had an Installer, but what was apparent to me was that I think the Disc was just for show, because all it really did was Activate the Key to Steam and Steam just downloaded the rest.

Guild Wars 2 had no such "Launcher" for it's game, There was no Origin nor was there Steam. It was it's own game. You installed it and let the game update itself and you'd be good to go.

There are very few games this day and age that does what Guild Wars 2 does since PC gaming is mostly download now. You can still buy games like Titanfall or Skyrim at Retail for PC Physical, but all they pretty much do is Install Steam or Origin, Activate the Key and Download the rest, It's like why even bother going to a retail store when you can just go to the website and buy the digital copy and just let it download?

That's pretty much why Digital Services now rule the roost of PC gaming. There's no reason to get a Physical copy when a Digital copy pretty much gives you the same experience.

Also why couple Amazon, GOG, or Origin separate from Steam? They pretty much do the same things. Heck Amazon even SELLS Steam Keys.
It's like saying "I go to Target to get games." when referring to buying a PC game on Online Retailers like who gives a crap as long as you found the game you're looking for and bought it.

With that said I voted Steam because I like Steam, but that doesn't mean I don't shop around other sites like GOG or Amazon.

ONLY PC GAMERS VOTE RIGHT NOW!!!

kewl! Getting only segments of the populace to vote ONLY! usually works but TCs forget to shout it in OPs. Lucky you remembered.

Do, do you buy most games from steam, some other place, DVD or just pirate games? If you pirate, then vote steam or pirate(depends if you buy more than pirate, or pirate more than buy).

1. >Steam
2. >GoG/ORIGIN/AMAZON DD
3. >Pirate games ( more pirate than buying. digital )
4. >DVD ( Physical )

good ideas!!! Not convoluted, just good.

Me: Some other place! + Steam + GOG/ORIGIN/AMAZON+ DVD+CD+ MORE! (No piracy)

Haven't had an optical drive in any of my PCs in years. It's a better life.

I'm a big advocate of digital distribution, buying all my PC games and the majority of my console games digitally. So yeah #digital4lyfe or whatever.

Thread of the Year?

Yep. Thread of the Year.

I'd love to still buy physical discs but It's become such a nuisance to do so.

I like being able to show my collection outside a damn list.

Digital. Most games I buy through Steam, the rest are almost all validated via Steam (GreenManGaming, GetGames, Amazon, etc.). Only a small pool of games do I own through GOG, but it's growing.

I own maybe 5 physical PC games - digital is simpler and cheaper, most of the time.

Digital (Steam & GOG)

I only buy physical if it's an EA or Blizzard title.

Will basically always get a PC game on Steam if I can.

I collect The Witcher series, DA and ME series with physical copies.

I have 200+ games on Steam

and I probably have about 70 or so games on GOG+Origin.

Also Humble.

Mostly steam these days but plenty of them I get on gog as well,a few retail ones too.

Whenever I can I prefer retail. It's usually at least half cheaper than on Steam and plenty of games come with code to activate it on Steam.

Now, there are games that I can't get in retail. Those I try to get on GOG. Prefer it vastly over Steam. I feel like I own the games there instead of renting them, like on Steam.

If I can;t get something on GOG I just buy it where it's the cheapest. I don't have any real preference between Steam, Origin and Uplay, at least not one strong enough to affect my purchasing decisions

Back up your Steam Games, put them in DVD cases, Visit this site, and BAM instant Physical Steam Collection.

I buy them from wherever is cheapest, if there's only £1-2 in it I'll get the digital version but I've noticed retail being considerably cheaper on big games, even with GMG's usual 20-25% discount.

I get most of my stuff via Steam and GMG. I would prefer to get phyiscal, but it is generally cheaper to download. Only hard copies I own are Bioshock 2, Infinite, Guild wars 2, Battlefield 3, and Spider Man: Web of Shadows.

No, not even close.

I don't like the thought of buying games digitally on consoles. Doesn't seem as feature-rich, or secure as PC digital.

With that said, I buy most games on Steam because I like the social aspect of it. I also have a lot of games on GOG, and will probably use it even more once GOG Galaxy releases if it has similar features.

There's little point in buying games physically on PC, they have product codes so it renders it pointless. I just stick to Steam.

I only buy older games on Steam. I buy physical for new PC games. I find new releases to be a rip off on Steam.

Meh. Gonna buy the physical copy of gta5.... If I can find one.

Clearly, it's not the Thread of the Year...as evidenced by my sarcastic post you just quoted and my other sarcastic post above it.

Words cant express how much I love steam. It has made me virtually 100% digital for consoles as well. The only time I buy physical for my xbox1 or ps4 if target is doing that buy2 get 1 deal or there is a really cool "Something awesome edition" for a game.