And This Is Why I Do Not Prefer Digital Media...

I ignore all digital games unless digital is the only option available. And no, standing up and having to change discs is not a negative like some have told me in the past.

Smart man. It encourages exercise xD

All jokes aside, there's too many things that can go wrong with digi only. Hacks or the game can freeze before it's backed up and the worst of them all, no refunds! Honestly, Sony should be ashamed of themselves for this because they're taking advantage but players should also do their due diligence and actually read what they're agreeing to. And even if you buy a game, they make you agree to some bs before you can even play it. It's awful

Persona 5R is technically its own game. Its weird i know but its the whole multiverse lore of SMT that all games is valid.

I only buy digital when there’s no option on an actual disc.

I actually hate digital because when you beat the game is game over.

With physical, once I’m done I can just sell it or trade it.

Plus I like how the actual games look in my entertainment center

Which retailers let you refund opened games? I know sealed games are not an issue.

Physical any day of the week. But the industry is trying its best to move us onto digital. I hate the way the industry is going.

buy...complete..,.trade-in....repeat

@louixiii: In Australia they HAVE to give you a refund, if they don't refund you they get fined, both Sony and Valve have been fined $3 million each for refusing a digital refund.

We're boss here in Australia, don't **** with us :)

Blame hermits first as they bent over for Gaben, and then the rest of the clueless gamers on Xbox/PS who so easily piss away their rights.

That's an issue with Sony not with Digital. Blame your overlord.

Also this unless something is wrong with the game it self like physical defect (not sure if it extends to bugs as you can't really quantify it).

@i_p_daily: Steam refunds purchases. It’s Sony being shit and has nothing to do with digital vs physical lol.

lol.

CDPR lied and hid the bad performance of CP2077, plus has a bad track record when it comes to launches.
Hyped up console morons buys the game day 1 anyway and act surprised it isn't perfect. And are also angry that they didn't read the agreement.

I don't know, maybe at least try using your brain next time instead of announcing to everyone that you're dumb?

GOG incognito on requests, wonder why? Thought GOG were saviours?

GamePass will cure all your ills. :P

Digital media is fine sometimes, but only good if the source remains active.

Imagine steam shutting down one day. All you games bought there would be just a memory.

Gamepass is cool....but don't get gamepass just to play Among Us LOL.

I'd be happier not having to access Steam to play my hundreds of Steam games anyway. Big picture mode is annoying. Global automatic updates is annoying and wastes my precious bandwidth. Earlier this year, no one was able to play Dishonored 2.

They're gonna ignore this one...

If you try to return an opened game, the retailer will only let you exchange it for the same game. It's the same for movies. Buying Cyberpunk physically wouldn't save you here.

Next, yall are bottle-necking your new consoles by buying physical games. The SSD speed and quick resume are thrown out the window when the user needs to get up and swap the disc. Physical is the worst

Digital is just way better I have 512 mb card in my switch lite and downloaded 30+ digital games on the go no carrying around any carts anymore. Just all the games in the system that autoplay whenever I want no switching them out. It's over.

@louixiii: The problem is not digital software, it’s Sony.

Yea this is a Sony issue, not a digital issue. You can refund games on Steam or other digital platforms.

I always go Physical when I have the option. There's a reason why companies have been pushing all digital for years. You give up your buying power with digital. That's why I always see 3+ year old games that are still at the very least $20 more than physical forcing you to hope it goes on sale, or pay more for less.

PC digital is an exception, because you have an open market of competition from different online storefronts vs. A walled garden that can push a take it or leave it approach.

I moved recently... and now have boxes and crates of old physical games I have no clue what Im going to do with. The chances of me setting up an old system to play one of those games is slim to none.

Having a nice evolving list of games on PC is cleaner and Im still going back to some of the games Ive first bought. Im never going to dig out the orange box... but L4D2 still gets spins on the reg.

Technically of speaking, don't do digital gaming on consoles. PC digital is more friendly.

This is the correct answer. I hate whenever we see these types of digital vs physical nonsense.

oh look, another soapbox thread based on stupidity.

You really forgot about Nintendo haven't ya (albeit Cyberpunk isn't on Nintendo Switch). Try to get any refund on that storefront.

@speedytimsi: Yeah, if steam shut down that would suck. All the games I've purchased over the years would vanish from the internet forever!

Ignoring the fact that all games are digital and no modern game runs from the disc, physical games are literally a waste of space but I am glad the option is available to those who wants it. It is always funny seeing pro physical(games still need to be download and the disc is just DRM) complain so much about digital while the pro digital folks just go about their merry way.

With that said, I have refunded many digital games on Steam and Xbox. Sony and Nintendo is a no go. If you buy a game, it's almost impossible to refund.

@appariti0n: No, if Steam shutdown there would be a period in which you can either download or get your license transferred to another entity. This is not an alien concept for other online platforms has closed and you are given months to transfer.

Yes and no. In a way you can transfer but you can't transfer every mode. Some multiplayer aspects might not get transferred as it's possible that online services might or might not be supported. There's a lot of licensing/rights between transfers so i'm not gonna get into that. Guitar Hero is a good example. Just because you bought a DLC on one platform might not be transferred to another of the same upgradable platform due to music licensing rights. I still remember GameSpy.

@speedytimsi: What you are describing would affect the game regardless of physical or digital methods of acquiring the game.

It can be both because it can affect both single player and multiplayer on any platform. A better example is Marvel vs Capcom 3 on PS3 & Xbox 360. If you have the base game and want to track down a certain Jill Valentine/ Shuma GorathDLC, then you are out of luck as capcom deleted that DLC as they can't keep Marvel licensing. You literally have to rebuy the Ultimate version on whatever platform is currently available.

Take them to county court, policy does not supersede law.

As others have said, this is a Sony problem. They are simply being anti-consumer.

Depending on laws, there's really nothing distinguishing physical and digital as mediums on this - if you are able to get a refund on your disc from Best Buy or whatever it's because their corporate model is simply one that treats their customers better than PSN, basically (I've certainly had brick-and-mortar stores deny me refunds and insist on store credit at best, BTW). Nintendo, as someone showed above, has gone to the other extreme and just said "Nope, you're a fool and we parted you from your money. Deal with it"

Don't believe me? As others have noted: other digital retailers like Steam and GoG have somehow managed to wrap their brains around the concept of issuing refunds for digital games.

@Pedro:

Yes, I was being facetious lol. The idea that anything won't be available on the internet is as laughable as those spamvertisements asking you to "watch this hot video now, before it's banned from the internet!"

:)

As you have seen, some will actually believe what you are being facetious about as true.

@Pedro: Yes, I guess I need a sarcasm sign like Leonard from big bang theory. Lol.

While this sounds more like a Sony issue I still greatly prefer getting my games on a physical format as well. It’s not so much about being able to refund my games or sell them though. I’m a collector and like to keep what I buy. I prefer physical because it gives me more control over the product. Once I buy that game I don’t want to have to rely on it being available online to download all the time. These companies can remove these games from their online marketplaces for a variety of reasons so unless you keep it stored locally on your system you can potentially lose access to that game. There’s been some great games that people can no longer purchase due to licensing issues. At least when it comes to physical versions you can still try to get them either by unsold copies or used copies.

The listing of the game in the store does not affect its availability to the gamers that purchase it. So, if Forza 4 is pulled, no one can purchase the game but all the owners of the game will still have access to the game.

@Pedro: Not always true. I have heard that some games can no longer be downloaded even from people who purchased the game. I think it was like that with Scott Pilgrim vs the World, Marvel vs Capcom 2, and maybe Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Arcade Game. Not entirely sure though but I would say that it’s a bit of a risk to just assume that you can always just redownload a game that was purchased.

@speedytimsi: what the hell does my comment have to do with Nintendo. My comment is still valid as I mentioned other digital platforms which is anyone. Hell even oculus allows refunds on digital games for VR and that is Facebook. Sounds like you are quick to defend Sony here.

I don't know of any such incident. You will need to provide sources for that claim.

The risk that you claim folks are taking is a bit of a stretch. I have been gaming digitally for almost two decades. I can redownload any game I have purchased on Xbox, Steam,GOG, EpicGames, Ubisoft, EA, Playstation, Android and IOS. Its not an assumption that you are claiming it to be. You just can.

You said this is a Sony issue, not a digital issue. You can refund games on Steam or other digital platforms.

This is not necessarily true. I'm talking about all games in general. Besides read OP question. He might have targeted a game and a specific platform but the question didn't specify a specific platform.

@Pedro: Could have sworn that this was an issue that I’ve seen a few times from different sources for a few particular games. Did a bit of the Google search and found some conflicting finds but I’m not really going to continue searching right now so if I’m wrong then I’m wrong. Still though that’s not a level of control at I’m willing to give up for my games unless my options are limited. More often then not I prefer to stick with the physical version of a game myself.

You should try and download P.T.

@Archangel3371: You are responding as if I am trying to convince you to switch. When in reality, I was simply correcting misinformation. Gamers have the option to pick and I am in support of that option. The problem lies when one group believe the other option shouldn't exist, exhibit A, this thread.

@speedytimsi: this particular issue is a Sony issue or do you have a hard time reading the original post. That’s what my comment was on. Digital itself is not an issue.

@Pedro: No, I was just stating my position in general. It was basically just in response to your comment about the risk perception being a bit of a stretch.

Oh I agree, options are great and I don’t want either to become unavailable. Typically though I mostly see some digital people hoping for the death of physical while those that want to keep buying their games on physical simply want to have that option remain available to them. Being able to purchase games digital will most definitely never be in danger of disappearing. Physical on the other hand has been diminishing steadily and that poses very real concerns from a consumer’s control over the product.

But you answer was You can refund games on Steam or other digital platforms.

That is the question i was answering, not whether is this a sony or digital issue.

But the OP question was worded weirdly, so I could be mistaken cuz he asked about digital or physical preference, but also vented about refunds. I don't know how refunds would lead to this question since physical or digital refunds have their own caveat.

I can't say that I have seen threads on here with the sentiment or goal of wanting physical to die or complaining about physical. However, I have seen the other side routinely to this.

Physical is diminishing because consumers are seeing more benefit to digital. Developers and publishers see more benefit to digital. The market is shifting to digital. I understand the concern. Attempting to undermine digital is not the solution to the problem.

@Pedro: Really? Can’t say that I see the same at all myself. Routinely, like this thread here, it’s typically just people saying that they prefer physical. Never saw someone who said that they want digital to die, just that it not become the only option. I’ve seen a few people here say that they want physical to go away and that it should be digital only.

Well of course developers and publishers want digital only, that’s a no-brainer as to why. Sure there is also some benefit to the consumer as well, mainly in convenience but it also most definitely has drawbacks as well. Pointing those out isn’t undermining it though.

End of the day though people want options and there’s nothing wrong with people wanting to keep on supporting physical. However there are some digital only people who seem to think that there is.