Do you prefer to own or rent your games?

If something is on GamePass I am less inclined to own it; but if a game I like is leaving GamePass, I would purchase it to own.

It depends. If its a game i see myself spending a lot of time in, and play for months, or possibly over a year, its always "own". If its just a linear game that i run through, and it offers nothing after you're done with it (games like Doom, Wolfenstein, etc), i don't mind renting because i am not someone who enjoys replaying games i've already beaten, so to have it in my library is completely pointless, since i am already selling all my games that i own/purchase a hard copy off of.

Both. I’ve been a steady subscriber to Game Pass for like 3 years or more now. If a game I want to play is on the service then I’ll play it there. If not then I’ll buy it.

Own. I have no interest at all in services like Gamepass/PSN+.

Never rented game, never will.

I use to buy and rent games all the time, ever since the days of the NES.

I used gamefly and redbox to rent games on different platforms and bought them when I liked them, and I tried demos and free full game trials. That has somewhat stopped over the years because there are more games coming out than I can even play, it's not like back in the day where you could actually have enough time to play everything that came out. That's impossible now.

These days before I buy something, there is enough coverage and opinion out there that I can be certain that I will enjoy it. The huge amount of games also means that I am busy enough already with games that I can wait for a good price on new releases. There is still the odd release I will buy day one because I anticipate it that much.

Either way I prefer to own them because it means my family will benefit from my purchases and that I will be able to lend/borrow with friends. This means I go for physical releases. I also like to go back to games I enjoyed and replay them, so I want them around and I don't want them to disappear or to have to keep up with a subscription just in case I am in a mood for a certain game.

This. It's like every time I buy a game, I think about how my kid will have it to play down the line. He's going to have an awesome library of games.

I mostly buy my games, but during the NES and GameCube eras, I did rent them. Because I mostly play games that requires me several days to complete, I prefer to buy them.

I typically like to own them, which is why GOG is great. I can actually download the installer and chuck them on my server where they will live and get backed up. You don't really own something unless you have the content and all available updates in a format you can use at will. I wouldn't even consider buying a physical copy ownership when it comes to 90% of the games released on modern consoles.

Nothing wrong with renting either. When you rent a game you understand that you only have access to it per the terms of the agreement. If you can justify the cost with the terms then there is no problem.

@nod_calypse: Yeah. I wish digital would figure these things out if we're expected to move to that. Only good solution there is DRM free GoG. Or emulation.

Own, but I use Game Pass still.

OWN.

With Gamepass other than MS own first party, you have no idea what your money is going to get you each month. Would you go into a resteraunt pay your money and eat whatever your given? Of course not.

With Sony's service (I care so little I don't even know the name of it) they don't even give you first party until like a year later, and even then they don't give access to all of them., so it's service is even worse.You would have to have a screw loose to pay for that.

After 40 years of gaming starting on Atari 2600 and have gamed as a kid, a single guy a married guy... A dad and now with adult aged kids I can safely say that I know my gaming habits.... I will not likely return to older games I've already completed. Therefor having a closet full of games means little to me. I don't believe it matters for me one way or another. I know everyone has a different preference but mine is to simply have access to the game so I can complete it and move on to the next. After that I don't really care.

I prefer to own them. That's why I bought Forza Motorsport instead of downloading it on Game Pass. Buying it helps the video game stores stay in business. It pumps some life into our economy.

And this is a perfect reason why you, a supposed lemming, should leave your green team, and jump on the blue side. As i've stated many times, we, cows, we welcome you with open arms.

I prefer having the choice to do both!

#Winning

I prefere to play games. Owning them or renting them is close to irrelevant to me. My preference is whatever makes it cheaper.

Both.

Own. Don't use any rental service.

Own primarily, but will GP/PS+/Ubi/EA/etc. games in which I only have a so-so interest.

Both. Own games you enjoyed with the intention of replaying it. Rent games that you like and will never replay it again.

You don't own your game if it's locked behind any kind of DRM - this includes digital forms such as Steam where it requires Steam to play the game (online or offline mode).

Even back during physical media not all games were owned by people - some still had you at the mercy of connecting to the developer's servers to verify your game key and if at any point that server is taken off line you have no way for the game to run.

There has been very little ownership for games in a very long time other than what GoG offers. At least with GoG you can download the files to your side and then do as you wish with them. You don't need any kind of online verification to play the game. That's as close as we have to owning a game these days.

@neatfeatguy: Right. Difference is, you buy a game on Steam, you have it forever, basically. You rent it on game pass, you have it intil they take it off game pass.

I don't care as long as I get to play the game. If it's in GP, I'll play it there. I'll only play most SP games once and if it's a game I'll play more than once I'll buy it.

Back in the early days when there was still block buster and other video stores I would rent games but now I prefer to own the games I want. I only have a switch Oled now.

The majority of games I don't replay, so renting is preferred.

Same.

Only use rental for indie game. I buy physical for tripple AAA.

I use services like Gamepass and I still buy games. Whichever saves me money and gives me access to the games when I want to play them. I don't have a preference.

What system allows you to install a 100GB+ game from DVD in under 15 minutes?

Your internet download speed would need to be 30Mb/s for it to take 7 hours to download a 100GB game.

If its on rental at the time I want to play it, I'll play on that.

If its not I'll buy it, these days its always bought digital so guess I buy to keep and not sell on.

Id prefer to rent them and buy the ones worth buying. Wont see me using a subscription service though.

That's the beauty of GamePass. Play a game with your GP account, find that you love it and want to own it, with a couple clicks you buy the game at a reduced price. ;o

lol :P

*jink*

Samesies

:D

Own. Though I tend to think of using Game Pass et al like leasing more than renting 😋I do use Game Pass, but it's more for dabbling and trying out things I wouldn't normally buy in order to get out of my comfort zone with games (for example, I'd never in a million years buy "While The Iron's Hot" but I tried it out and kind of like it!).

Renting is something you would do from Blockbuster or some store.

Yeah same lol.

I don't mind having a Steam account full of hundreds (thousands?) of games, but TBH I wish I could give them away sometimes. It's not even about the value standpoint, I just want to share them like you share a book.

It's probably the only good argument left in favor of physical media.

Damage controlling GP, the service that is ruining the quality of your "exclusives". Typical.

Rent rent rent baby, gamepass living rent free in your heads. But seriously, I end up buying many of the games that I enjoy on gamepass.

100% to own games. That's why Sony and Nintendo rules the console business

This is a neat website: https://www.doesitplay.org/

It is a database of games that tracks whether they will play offline, and if downloads are needed to function or fix bugs. Not too many entries yet, but will be cool if they keep adding to it.

PS5 is actually better than I would have guessed with 68% of the games on the site not requiring a download to play or fix issues.

How the hell is this damage controlling anything.

Stop looking for trouble.

@Pedro: PS5 blueray install 100GB+ games in 15-20 minutes. I just pushed the disk inside and it installs without much waiting.

And yes I have a 30 Mbps internet connection.

I prefer to buy games I want but, I try out a bunch of them off of PSN+ either through downloading or streaming.

Ex. I just downloaded Evil West and will try it out in between playing FF16 and, The Finals.

@Pedro: PS5 blueray installs 100GB+ games in 15-20 minutes. I just push the disk inside, and I get to play a game without much waiting.

You already know the answer to your question. But if you somehow forgot, i will remind you. Gamepass, without a shadow of a doubt, is lowering the quality of your exclusives. This is a problem, a massive one.

You still don't own it. Even the Steam subscriber agreement tells you that you don't own it.

F. Ownership of Content and Services

All title, ownership rights and intellectual property rights in and to the Content and Services and any and all copies thereof, are owned by Valve and/or its or its affiliates’ licensors. All rights are reserved, except as expressly stated herein. The Content and Services are protected by copyright laws, international copyright treaties and conventions and other laws. The Content and Services contain certain licensed materials and Valve’s and its affiliates’ licensors may protect their rights in the event of any violation of this Agreement.

You can read more about it here, if you want. You don't actually own the games. You have the rights to use the games until basically Steam sees fit to remove those rights from you. Now, maybe that'll never happen or maybe one day something happens and Steam has to shutter - all those games you "own" are no longer available to you.

That's....not what I'm saying. I'm saying that, regardless of the agreement, you have the game as long as Steam exists, basically. Steam is not going to yank the game from you, lol. With Game Pass, you have the game until MS yanks it from Game Pass. Big difference.