Gaming Physical game box with no game inside

[Noctosphere]

According to this site, Nintendo will start offering, with splatoon2 releases, game box with no game inside.
Instead, there will be a code to download the game on switch eshop.
This market is addressed to gamer who feel comfort to buy online but still want to hold the game in their hand or just want to have something to show on their shelves


Source

 

[Velanator]

Sounds like a smart idea in away but in a down side most collectors would prefer the full physical game.

 

[Enigma Hall]

You can replace the game with a trophy... of idiot. Good bye to old game exchanges.

 

[Molina]

Also, there are some that prefer cartridge so they don't have to bother with internal memory.

 

[Youkai]

Well if the game is like half the price or less in some country you can bet that key sites will sell you these keys for a good price

 

[Eddypikachu]

They'll still have the option to buy splatoon 2 in cartridge form now theres just a new third option available, the three options being digital only, physical box with cart, and physical box with download code but no cart. All three options cost the same btw

 

[tech3475]

They'll still have the option to buy splatoon 2 in cartridge form now theres just a new third option available, the three options being digital only, physical box with cart, and physical box with download code but no cart. All three options cost the same btw

Now thats BS, considering the cost of the carts there should be a discount of some kind, even if its just £5.

Before I could understand somewhat with the 'not p***ing off retailers' with dd but now theyre offering a version which they can sell so they lose that excuse (retailers have sold pc games with codes before).

Personally I still plan on buying physical where possible, it reduces storage issues and has better drm.

 

[ItsMetaKnight]

It's not new at all. Nintendo in Japan offered the same thing for select Wii U games as well. Super Mario Maker being one of them.

 

[sarkwalvein]

This is not a novel idea, it has been done with PC games in stores since always, with Vita games since always, etc.
But yet, I still feel this is BS.

Pro/Contra of this genius idea:
+ It is always with you™, as long as you carry your switch you carry your game.
+ Your phyisical purchase may come alone with extras, nice covers, whatever.
- It is always with you™, can't share, can't sell, can't lick it.
- No instabuy, either move your ass to the store to buy it, or wait for it to be delivered.
- It takes up physical space.
- Yet you don't have a beautiful game card that you can share/sell/lick(?)
- You may still feel like you bought a piece of air that you can't share or resell.

 

[Hells Malice]

It's just a way for them to save costs and not pass it on to their buyers.

Microsoft already does the same thing except they give you the disk. Then it asks to download 80GB to your system before you can play. Woo. Pretty much the same thing except the code is on the disk.

This is pretty pointless for anyone to get in reality. Just buy from the eshop, or get the cart.

 

[sarkwalvein]

Microsoft already does the same thing except they give you the disk. Then it asks to download 80GB to your system before you can play. Woo. Pretty much the same thing except the code is on the disk.

But you can still share or sell the disk, it at least acts as a physical sellable DRM.

The original digital model MS proposed for games, where you were able to sell and share your digital games, was actually promising.
Quite a pity they were booed to the point they had to remove the feature.

 

[Lucifer666]

It's just a way for them to save costs and not pass it on to their buyers.

Microsoft already does the same thing except they give you the disk. Then it asks to download 80GB to your system before you can play. Woo. Pretty much the same thing except the code is on the disk.

This is pretty pointless for anyone to get in reality. Just buy from the eshop, or get the cart.

Agreed.

The only issue with digital-only is Nintendo. IDK what it looks like on the Switch, but the rigidity of digital copies with the 3DS and Wii U (e.g. I downloaded ACNL on my 3DS XL and can't play it on my N3DS at will) is what annoys the crap out of me.

 

[tech3475]

But you can still share or sell the disk, it at least acts as a physical sellable DRM.

The original digital model MS proposed for games, where you were able to sell and share your digital games, was actually promising.
Quite a pity they were booed to the point they had to remove the feature.

The original model was terrible because it had things like the 24 hour DRM check and you couldn't do anything with the disc without going through an 'authorised reseller'.

I doubt anyone would have complained about the ability to sell and share digital games.

 

[sarkwalvein]

The original model was terrible because it had things like the 24 hour DRM check and you couldn't do anything with the disc without going through an 'authorised reseller'.

I doubt anyone would have complained about the ability to sell and share digital games.

The disc was just a legacy artifact in that model. Something to make up for old technology and bad internet connections for one year or so.
Afterwards the disc would have not existed anymore, it would have been all pure digital.

 

[tech3475]

The disc was just a legacy artifact in that model. Something to make up for old technology and bad internet connections for one year or so.
Afterwards the disc would have not existed anymore, it would have been all pure digital.

But then you still had issues over the 24 hour check and those with poor internet connections wouldn't have magically improved.

MS's model even on PC users who are more DD based would have complained because of the former.

 

[Saiyan Lusitano]

According to this site, Nintendo will start offering, with splatoon2 releases, game box with no game inside.
Instead, there will be a code to download the game on switch eshop.
This market is addressed to gamer who feel comfort to buy online but still want to hold the game in their hand or just want to have something to show on their shelves


Source

That's sort of normal. There are physical copies of games that only include a download code and that's how you get it.

 

[duffmmann]

This is actually something I've wanted for digital releases. I mean if it costs the same to buy this version as it does the actual physical version and the digital version without the case, then I don't see why I wouldn't want to do it this way, unless I'm just not near a retailer, and want the game immediately.

 

[sarkwalvein]

unless I'm just not near a retailer, and want the game immediately.

Why wouldn't be that the case?
What is the profit in going to buy it from a retailer when you can do it from home, or even remotely? (if the eShop was at least as good as the Xbox Store where you can buy games even from your phone and start the download/installation process remotely comfortably even while taking a dump).

 

[duffmmann]

Why wouldn't be that the case?
What is the profit in going to buy it from a retailer when you can do it from home, or even remotely? (if the eShop was at least as good as the Xbox Store where you can buy games even from your phone and start the download/installation process remotely comfortably even while taking a dump).

I'm not entirely sure what you're asking. But I'd love to get the game cases because they look great and sometimes do still include great instruction booklets. But I want the digital version so that I can have all my games on my system without having to change cartridges. So, if these empty game cases with digital codes come to retailers near me, I'll absolutely jump on the opportunity to get one, but if I'm not near such a retailer and want to play the game ASAP, then I'll just download the game without the game case. See what I'm saying?

 

[sarkwalvein]

I'm not entirely sure what you're asking. But I'd love to get the game cases because they look great and sometimes do still include great instruction booklets. But I want the digital version so that I can have all my games on my system without having to change cartridges. So, if these empty game cases with digital codes come to retailers near me, I'll absolutely jump on the opportunity to get one, but if I'm not near such a retailer and want to play the game ASAP, then I'll just download the game without the game case. See what I'm saying?

Yeah, I understand, I was asking why wouldn't you want it immediatly and also avoid going to the store.
Actually, I like boxes a little, but they take space, and space is precious... So, not sure if I really like them or not.

PS: The problem with buying digital in the Switch anyway is that the storage space is very limited and expensive. If it were the XB1 where you have 2GB of space for a couple bucks I will buy all digital... but that is what I already do.