Switch Discussion Thread

[Reprise]

Is there some reason you feel the need to bring up the fact that you won't buy digital whenever it comes up? I would think you would get bored of it given how few people here seem to agree with your general stance. Don't point to one instance of people agreeing with you as overall alignment with your views. The fact that you keep getting blasted when you post it would make most people realize they are very much in the minority, unwelcome opinion.

Yeah, I honestly didn't mean any offence Tanooki. I've just noticed there's a lot of people who like to shoehorn certain opinions into every post on gaming boards and I think MrPopo makes a good point that you do do this quite often regarding digital practices.

To be fair, I just thought it was 'interesting' that you'd refuse to buy a game that requires a download to play when sooner or later all games will require a digital download. Physical mediums will die out and even if they do survive, they'll just be a glorified DRM pass.

But, as other people made clear, it seems like I'm in the minority of thinking it's still better to buy a cartridge that requires a download than a digital purchase (it is, as it's cheaper for a start. L.A. Noire cost me £10 less for a physical version compared to the digital version. But I digress), so I did get to see some different arguments which allowed me to see things from a different perspective.

[marurun]

I don’t agree with the way tanooki expresses this opinion, but I do kind of agree with the opinion, at least as far as content (but not updates) are concerned. If I buy a physical copy of a game I should be able to pop it in and play it. Maybe there’s an update waiting or DLC, but I should be able to at least play any offline or single player components without any downloaded content.

I have nothing against digital games. I own 1 on Switch, a few in GoG, and a stupidly large number of unplayed (and played, of course) titles on Steam. But when I make the choice to buy a physical game for a console I want something I can move to another console and play long after all the online servers are toast. I want something that will survive to become a classic game someday and join my NES carts. I guess I don’t understand the point of selling a physical cartridge in stores if players have to download half the game. Why not just sell a card with a download code on it at that point? I suppose if the game were too large for the available media, sure, but that’s not the case here.

I guess I don’t understand how this Mega Man Collection situation does Capcom or game buyers any favors. What’s the advantage to Capcom? The saving between the two cartridge sizes can’t be that significant. It also asks users to give up more internal storage while also requiring them to have the cartridge in the slot. Why would a potential customer want to buy this in cartridge form? Is there some advantage I haven’t thought of?

[MrPopo]

I guess I don’t understand how this Mega Man Collection situation does Capcom or game buyers any favors. What’s the advantage to Capcom? The saving between the two cartridge sizes can’t be that significant. It also asks users to give up more internal storage while also requiring them to have the cartridge in the slot. Why would a potential customer want to buy this in cartridge form? Is there some advantage I haven’t thought of?

It is significant if it's added up for every copy sold. And sure, it's not better for consumers, but again, most consumers just go "oh, I need to DL something" and then let it DL and move on with their lives. The retail box is more for getting shelf space in the stores, to drive those impulse buys. That's the realm PC games have been in for a decade now, ever since games started to take up more space than a single DVD. The box might have an initial mount of bits and then a code for the online distribution service, but you need the download to actually do anything. And if people hadn't pitched a fit over the initial Xbox One reveal then this might have just been a code in a box, rather than this weird mixture of the two.

[foxhound1022]

I don't care for digital, either. I know when I joined up here about 5-6 years ago, I would say that the general consensus on physical vs. digital was different than it is now.

[Tanooki]

Don't you find it odd that you expect people to stop riding on you for an opinion, yet seem quite adamant to tell people to fuck off for their opinion. Snowflake much?

Not at all. A snowflake would whine about it and demand it stops or else by going to someone of authority to destroy others for their whiny cause. I'm just saying deal with it.

To be fair, I just thought it was 'interesting' that you'd refuse to buy a game that requires a download to play when sooner or later all games will require a digital download. Physical mediums will die out and even if they do survive, they'll just be a glorified DRM pass.

I wasn't offended you're fine. I just don't see a reason if someone doesn't like my opinion to throw gas on the fire when they can choose to ignore it. And I'm aware things could likely go totally digital in time. I did say though I do support GoG and Steam for that. GoG has the download, and Steam some do work offline/independent and others do not but are setup to work into the future even if a company fails including their own so I am ok with that. I'm NOT ok with Nintendo, Sony and MS in their closed up handling with zero controls yet still wanting full market value with total control over any sales/price drops that retail historically have done including clearance. I can't get behind having zero say in it.

I could go on, but I could just throw a big fat highlight copy, then paste off maru's entire post about the issue highlighting Capcom's insanity, and the dumb idea of a physical game barred from being used without online, without online for updates first, etc. It should just work out of the box.

[fastbilly1]

I don't care for digital, either. I know when I joined up here about 5-6 years ago, I would say that the general consensus on physical vs. digital was different than it is now.

The market was much different 6 years ago. I will admit I was staunchly against it back in the day, but with the way PC gaming has gone it is inevitable. So even if you are against it, there will be a day soon where retail console games are like pc games now - just a download code. I have not gone full download on consoles yet, but I could easily could have this generation and suspect I will next generation.

That said, I recently picked up Rocket League for the Switch and Walmart for $26.

[foxhound1022]

It might also have to do with the thinning of the ranks as well.

[fastbilly1]

That is also a possibility. However in my time on other forums the shift to full digital has happened far quicker than any of use would have expected. I know several people with over 40 Switch games, all digital.

[ElkinFencer10]

I know several people with over 40 Switch games, all digital.

I have exactly 40 Switch games! But only 12 are digital.

[isiolia]

That is also a possibility. However in my time on other forums the shift to full digital has happened far quicker than any of use would have expected. I know several people with over 40 Switch games, all digital.

It does seem to be a general trend on consoles, and objectively speaking, it's more convenient. Preload new releases, don't need to worry about swapping discs or having space on the shelf, that sort of thing. That said, I think a big thing missing on the console side is often the pricing - not that there aren't sales from time to time, but compared to Steam sales, Humble Bundle, and that sort of thing, consoles still tend to be the pricier way to build a collection. Meanwhile, console games have been better to buy retail via Prime discounts or (until recently) Gamer's Club Unlocked. Or trade stuff in towards at Gamestop...for some people anyway.

For a different look at the (possible) future, I see Capcom is putting Resident Evil 7 on Switch via streaming. Which I guess is a way to sidestep both specs and install space. Japan only for now, but I'd suspect if it's popular we may see more of it.