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PC sale culture didn't start to get big until the retail space dwindled. Once enough of console games have shifted to digital only then we are more likely to start seeing deeper discounts from time to time. But as long as retail has a large foothold they don't want to alienate them.

The only way I think digital games will truly win out is if everyone adopts the Steam model, which is that they are tied to accounts, not to hardware. That's something Nintendo needs to figure out, big-time.

Agreed, even I can put up with well enough the Steam model, not preferred but I have enough games on it. The way they handle it on an account, not the hardware, their backup way of handling keeping old games going if either they fail or the maker of a game fails to keep it running is nice. Console and handheld are just closed, rigid, and it's just like a redbox rental borrowed time and stuck to the format. Steam you can run an old DOS game or a 64bit Windows game all the same on whatever the hardware is. There's zero incentive to pay Nintendo or whoever else $60 for game that usually base is less on Steam and grossly so with a seasonal sale usually hitting 33-75% off against when they'll do a so-called generous 20% off deal unless you use gold coins to inch it up to maybe 33-40%. There's no rational value other than to spend the minimum which are those $1-10 games you get, not the big projects.

I thought Nintendo already changed that with the Switch? Digital Switch games are now tied to Nintendo accounts are they not?

Reprise wrote:I thought Nintendo already changed that with the Switch? Digital Switch games are now tied to Nintendo accounts are they not?

Oh? Can they be transferred to a new Switch unit?

Last I've seen, the Switch is kind of a mixed bag there. On the one hand, yes, digital purchases are tied to your account - whichever Switch unit is designated as your active unit can access your purchases (on any account).
On the other, there's no way to move your save data outside of migrating the account to another Switch, which wipes the account and content off the source device as part of the process.

So, they're improving, but still not really up to par.

PSA - Jurassic Pinball sucks ass. At $1.99, it's approximately $1.50 overpriced.

If given a choice, I will buy on GOG if available. Otherwise, I'll take what I can get. Some games, I will prioritize getting physical. I was going to do that with Cosmic Star Heroine, but I ended up getting it on GOG on sale for rather cheap, and felt that what I played wasn't quite good enough to drop $30 on it.

I understand why folks go digital; convenience is awfully nice. I miss being able to do that effectively like I did in the DS/PSP era. I still will prioritize physical if available, though. At the same time, I'm starting to recognize that at some point, not much of it really matters; the games will stop working eventually, and I also can't take them with me when I'm gone. So really, just enjoy the games you can. And life's too short to not dive into emulation and experience games that you'll likely never be able to own.

Nintendo is adding that save transfer mechanism, but it will cost you what was it $20 a year? It's under their premium package out this fall or whenever it was it drops. It's one of the nice features along with family accounts and various other tools.

For me my preferential order for download style games -- GoG, Steam, and then Android/iOS -- and just on the cheap (freemium to like $10) close stuff which is Nintendo/Sony.

The convenience of digital is nice, it just pops up, but the sacrifices are real so you got to kind of just weigh it and go with what works best...or bail. My own accounts would back that up with the GoG game totals, then Steam, and finally Android/iOS. I own almost nothing on those Nintendo/Sony networks unless they were hand outs, cheaply near that, or fit the range and I wanted it that badly.

Pokemon Lets Go Pikachu/Eevee is Pokemon Yellow in 3d for the Switch with Pokemon Go like capturing, Pokemon Go integration, and couch coop. November 16th

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9jRtpMKLsts