I recently bought a PS4 for the exclusives. I bought the digital download versions of MLB 14 and Killzone Shadow Fall. I don't think I'm going to resell any of my PS4 games this generation so I decided to go digital download on PS4 as I have adequate connection speed but I have a 250 GB monthly cap, but then again I'm only going to be buying exclusives for PS4 and not every exclusive most likely. I like not swapping discs between games, no clutter of discs and cases in front of my TV if playing more than one game at a time, and a guarantee full install of every game I buy digitally. Also will the interface look messy (full of games in random order) once I get to a certain amount of digitally downloaded games on PS4?
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Going all digital download for PS4 bad idea?
- Thread starter Dave3000
- Start date
TeknoBug
Platinum Member
No it's not a bad idea, apparently every game disc you throw in gets installed to the HDD anyways. Only downside is that if you plan on recycling the game for new titles later on (like EBGames/Gamestop does trade in 2 get 1 thing).
On the other hand is that if you have limited bandwidth cap on your ISP, then keep buying discs.
I have 250GB limit on my ISP and have never reached its limit since I've been with them from 1998 and I download often. Netflix will eat up more bandwidth faster than game downloads.
On the other hand is that if you have limited bandwidth cap on your ISP, then keep buying discs.
I have 250GB limit on my ISP and have never reached its limit since I've been with them from 1998 and I download often. Netflix will eat up more bandwidth faster than game downloads.
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I think it makes sense for franchises you want to keep together, particularly if you like replaying the story. However, I think that for something like The Show, where they will replace the game and make it pointless to keep the old one, going physical and trading it in before the new one launches makes more sense.
I use Netflix and most of what I watch from there is at Super HD resolution. I'd rather do frequent Netflix streaming and buy disc versions of games than buying digital versions of games and not having enough cap left over for frequent Netflix streaming. Netflix is how I watch most of my entertainment these days.
This is kind of a sidebar, but I found out that if you change your quality setting of Netflix from high to medium it uses a fraction of the bandwidth with very little drop in perceivable quality. I've got a 400 GB monthly cap, but when you burn 3-7 GB per hour streaming Netflix at max quality it adds up. I stream a lot so when I saw I was using 12-15 GB per day I was shocked. 7GB per hour for Ultra HD is just nuts.
I like that it's possible to stream at those levels, but for most people I think the caps aren't robust enough yet.
I like that it's possible to stream at those levels, but for most people I think the caps aren't robust enough yet.
cmdrdredd
Lifer
It's what they call they're lower compression 1080p. It looks quite good, but not Blu-Ray quality.
zerocool84
Lifer
Yup I was very disappointed in Killzone, I eventually traded it in. Sure it looked great but gameplay really sucked and so did the story.
Well I finally decided any PS4 game that I buy in the future will be the disc version. I don't like Killzone Shadow Fall so far, but I only played about 20 minutes into it, basically the intro. I'm going to try to play it the rest of the way through in the future as I already have a backlog of PC games that are keeping me busy. As long as every PS4 disc game fully installs even though the disc is still required to play them, I will manage with the disc versions. I really don't care about resell value because I don't get a decent amount for trading them if I wait too long to trade them in and I don't like rushing through my games. I also want to have enough of my data cap left over for Steam games as I usually only buy PC games digitally though Steam and mostly when they are on sale.
Are your games the disc version?
cmdrdredd
Lifer
Except the PSN+ free games, yes.
Pr0d1gy
Diamond Member
Caps are a complete scam. I can't believe people actually put up with that crap. You know what needs to happen? Every internet customer who is forced to have a cap should cancel their sub. We have to start voting with our wallets folks, it's the only way to change anything.
smackababy
Lifer
Yeah, that is a good idea. Go without internet or live with a data cap, because that is the reality of it.
TeknoBug
Platinum Member
Yeah I honestly haven't noticed much of a difference between high and medium, I had to set to medium when I started to watch Netflix on my tablet last summer while outside and it was struggling so I found online to just turn down the quality and it worked, and I left it ever since and the quality doesn't seem to bother me.
Sword-of-Kings
Member
Sometimes there just isn't a choice. I live in the middle of nowhere and the only options are dial-up and satellite. The ISP I use is Hughesnet and I get 512 MB per day.
cmdrdredd
Lifer
Yeah and before someone says "you can always move" not everyone can pack up and move just to get better internet.
sze5003
Lifer
I agree that we vote with the wallet but we all can't do that. I guarantee if everyone did so, we wouldn't have caps, wouldn't have just one major isp provider in most areas.
But that's not reality and it won't get better unless other alternatives come out. With people buying games now that are 40-50gb downloads, caps will bust for a family in no time.
I for one will not buy digital games unless they are from the psn store for the free games each month. I like owning my disc and eventually having the ability to trade in when I lose interest in a title.
But that's not reality and it won't get better unless other alternatives come out. With people buying games now that are 40-50gb downloads, caps will bust for a family in no time.
I for one will not buy digital games unless they are from the psn store for the free games each month. I like owning my disc and eventually having the ability to trade in when I lose interest in a title.
mmntech
Lifer
I still prefer the disc version for a few reasons:
1. Given my connection speeds (in order to get unlimited data at a reasonable price), it still takes several hours to download a game. Takes me less time to just go to the mall and back.
2. Retail copies tend to decrease in price faster than digital ones do. Stores have limited space. They want to quickly cycle out old stock to make room for new releases. So prices fall faster and sales are more frequent. In the digital environment, Microsoft, Sony, and Nintendo have a monopoly over sales. They also don't have the same space limitations. Meaning games still sell for full MSRP long after release.
3. Having a physical copy of the game, and keeping it in good condition, means it will be playable for decades to come provided you can still find a working console.
4. In the case of my Vita, storage is too expensive. So it works out to be a lot cheaper to buy the cartridges.
5. Retail copies can be played on any console regardless of whether it's your or not (for now anyway). So you can borrow and lend games to friends
6. Digital games depreciate in value quicker than physical ones. Which seems to contradict my second point. However, physical copies can always be sold and traded. Which means they always have some monetary value attached to them. Digital copies become worthless once you stop getting enjoyment from them. They cannot be sold or traded in most cases due to DRM.
Now, there can become a point where digital does outweigh physical. Take PC for example. Some disc based games (more so a couple years ago than today) are so saddled with annoying DRM, it made sense just to deal with Steam.
Also, a lot of digital game retailers don't charge sales tax. Though that seems to be changing unfortunately.
1. Given my connection speeds (in order to get unlimited data at a reasonable price), it still takes several hours to download a game. Takes me less time to just go to the mall and back.
2. Retail copies tend to decrease in price faster than digital ones do. Stores have limited space. They want to quickly cycle out old stock to make room for new releases. So prices fall faster and sales are more frequent. In the digital environment, Microsoft, Sony, and Nintendo have a monopoly over sales. They also don't have the same space limitations. Meaning games still sell for full MSRP long after release.
3. Having a physical copy of the game, and keeping it in good condition, means it will be playable for decades to come provided you can still find a working console.
4. In the case of my Vita, storage is too expensive. So it works out to be a lot cheaper to buy the cartridges.
5. Retail copies can be played on any console regardless of whether it's your or not (for now anyway). So you can borrow and lend games to friends
6. Digital games depreciate in value quicker than physical ones. Which seems to contradict my second point. However, physical copies can always be sold and traded. Which means they always have some monetary value attached to them. Digital copies become worthless once you stop getting enjoyment from them. They cannot be sold or traded in most cases due to DRM.
Now, there can become a point where digital does outweigh physical. Take PC for example. Some disc based games (more so a couple years ago than today) are so saddled with annoying DRM, it made sense just to deal with Steam.
Also, a lot of digital game retailers don't charge sales tax. Though that seems to be changing unfortunately.
cmdrdredd
Lifer
The price structure for games that aren't brand new releases needs to change for digital IMO. A game that is on sale for $40 at Toys R Us or Amazon should not cost $60 to download. However it is up to the retailer to price the games they sell. The MSRP may not have changed but in order to move units the retailer will discount the title.
mnewsham
Lifer
I have an SSD in my PS4 (480GB) and an 85MBps download speed so for now I can fit all my games on the SSD. But when it gets full I will just remove the games I don't play that much, in the event I want to play them later my internet is fast enough that it would only take an hour maybe 2 before I had it back.
So for me, digital only is the way to go this generation.
So for me, digital only is the way to go this generation.
TeknoBug
Platinum Member
How much did that 480GB SSD set you back?
mnewsham
Lifer
$200
railven
Diamond Member
I'm too cheap to go all digital with my consoles. The used market is so rampant and lively on the console side. My backlog is already lng so it's not like dropping the $40-60 on a new game yields me anything since it just sits there for a week or two.
I find it most cost effective to let my friends buy the game, then buy it off them for half or sometimes even less. They usually burn through fast enough.
But I'm seeing PSN and XBL sales that are very enticing. Still, even when TR: DE was going for $30 on PSN/XBL I already bought it for $20.
Doesn't work for all games, but I'm a patient and cheap man. After years of dropping $60 on a game only to realize by the time I actually get to play it it's <$40 or less, I said eff that.
I find it most cost effective to let my friends buy the game, then buy it off them for half or sometimes even less. They usually burn through fast enough.
But I'm seeing PSN and XBL sales that are very enticing. Still, even when TR: DE was going for $30 on PSN/XBL I already bought it for $20.
Doesn't work for all games, but I'm a patient and cheap man. After years of dropping $60 on a game only to realize by the time I actually get to play it it's <$40 or less, I said eff that.
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