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Gamestop released a rather interesting tidbit about their policy in carrying consoles with a digital title. In fact, they flat out said they refuse to carry them anymore. Here's the breakdown:

During a recent earnings report conference call, GameStop executives outlined their decision to move away from "digital" bundles and highlighted their recent effort to provide "physical" bundles instead. This new strategy went into effect just last month, with the release of Madden NFL 16. While other stores sold Xbox One and Playstation 4 bundles featuring digital copies of the football game, GameStop "worked with Sony, Microsoft, and EA" to reach an arrangement for the retailer to provide a physical copy with any new console purchased. This isn't just a little experiment either. GameStop COO Tony Bartel explained that if Sony and Microsoft continue to release digital bundles, GameStop will turn to "third party" physical-bundles. This could mean that they'll work out a deal with a major publisher like EA or Ubisoft to include a free physical copy of a recent release.

The obvious stance here is, Gamestop's only continued profitability and business model relies on used game sales. Controversy has always stemmed from the pay out of a used game that will eventually be resold to another consumer for a $50 price tag, but in the end it is what drives Gamestop's overall cash flow.

It is rather interesting to see the trend of Digital games continue to rise against the physical copies of games. Early NX rumors have begun circulating that the new Nintendo console may be intending to go full digital for the future, and i'm sure most 1st and 3rd parties would love to cash in on the market of digital sales.

As a purveyor of digital games, I find the stance understandable but a little silly. How do you feel about this move? And what is your stance on the timeless Physical vs Digital argument?

 

[jonthedit]

I feel GameStop should go out of business.
On a serious note, why physical? Digital is the way to go, especially with all the great deals available on digital copies! Then again, I do not buy new games. I rarely pay more than $5, so I can not give a good opinion on "NEW" bundles. Perhaps someone who is willing to pay full price for digital VS physical will have a more definitive opinion.

 

[Langin]

I wish they did that over here in Europe, digital games may cut costs a bit but it annoys me so much as collector -_-" I seriously prefer physical copies over digital but I guess thats a problem of mine. =3=

 

[vayanui8]

As someone who like the have a physical collection I'm rather glad they did this. Its always bugged me when theres an exclusive version of a console based on a game I like, but the game is installed digitally, forcing me to choose the look of the console or the game on my shelf.

 

[Youkai]

Same here, when I buy something I want to hold it in my Hand if possible.
Especially with games. Maybe I am to old but I am still allways sad when I buy a new game and there is no nice Booklet included ^^V

I still remember good old times when I took the train to the next big electrics store to buy my new PC game (sometimes even skipping school)
and when I was riding back I was allways reading the booklet and beeing totaly anxious to play.

(and sometimes getting angry and starting to shout like some idiot because the game didn't run thanks to bugs and whatnot... still good old times)

 

[Vanth88]

Why physical? I just bought the PS4 Destiny bundle and in case you're wondering how is it? I wouldn't know. It took an entire day to download the game and it's still downloading an update after launching the game. You wanna know why physical? because unless the company (in my case Sony) can keep up with the depends of an ever-growing digital-only community, then why the hell would anyone buy digital if they can't even play the game? I also bought Last of Us (digital) and it's still downloading.

With that being said I own a lot of steam games, and even on launch day for AAA games I've always been able to download from them at full speed (4mb/s for me). So digital-only isn't all bad.. it's just not all companies can handle that right now. Nintendo is also slow as fudge but.. honestly I can only hope they upgrade their servers for NX.

 

[Deboog]

Wow. I've hated Gamestop for years but I'm happy with this. I've always resented paying for storage when the retailers could pay for it for me.

 

[Deleted User]

I only like digital for small things like VC and Indie.

 

[LoggerMan]

I like the convenience of digital games, but I always regret owning digital games when it comes to selling them after I'm sick of playing them.

 

[TecXero]

I prefer physical copies on console, as digital copies are too DRMed for my liking, but I still think that's an anti-consumer desicion on GameStop's part. By denying people the choice in their store, I imagine people that prefer digital will just go elsewhere.

 

[Deboog]

I like the convenience of digital games, but I always regret owning digital games when it comes to selling them after I'm sick of playing them.

That's probably why Gamestop is taking their stance. They want people to sell the bundled games back to them later on.

 

[Tigran]

Why physical? I just bought the PS4 Destiny bundle and in case you're wondering how is it? I wouldn't know. It took an entire day to download the game and it's still downloading an update after launching the game. You wanna know why physical? because unless the company (in my case Sony) can keep up with the depends of an ever-growing digital-only community, then why the hell would anyone buy digital if they can't even play the game? I also bought Last of Us (digital) and it's still downloading.

With that being said I own a lot of steam games, and even on launch day for AAA games I've always been able to download from them at full speed (4mb/s for me). So digital-only isn't all bad.. it's just not all companies can handle that right now. Nintendo is also slow as fudge but.. honestly I can only hope they upgrade their servers for NX.

Hasn't stopped Physical games anyways.. Just look at MGS for the PC...

Or all the day one updates.

 

[Deleted User]

I've always prefered physical games. With that said I'm slowly being won over to digital copies because most games have updates and DLC so the data on the disk is rarely the entire game. Still, physical copies do give people jobs so thats a huge plus.

 

[CathyRina]

Okay gamestop doesnt want money then.

 

[the_randomizer]

Sorry, only digital game service I'll use is Steam. It's like Gamestop doesn't want my money.

 

[TecXero]

Sorry, only digital game service I'll use is Steam. It's like Gamestop doesn't want my money.

I wouldn't even use that. Humble and GOG are good, though.

 

[the_randomizer]

I wouldn't even use that. Humble and GOG are good, though.

Never had a problem with Steam or GOG, the latter of which has no DRM whatsoever. Gamestop can suck it.

 

[sporkonomix]

Digital distribution kills First Sale Doctrine, and forces gamers to get games from a single "official" source. It kills the timelessness of a game; games on today's systems (and their DLC) will disappear when the servers go down and/or the companies go bankrupt.

There's a reason NES, SNES, Genesis, etc games are still celebrated: they can be found in person and lots of people have played them second hand. They've been passed down through families, to friends, sold and resold again. They've stayed relevant in the gaming community. Digital games and DLC will be a blip on the radar compared to physical games that can still be experienced 30 years from now. I say this as someone who's been gaming since 1987. I've researched where the industry used to be, experienced a great portion of what it's been through, see digital-only games cheapening gaming's cultural impact and value to society. Where will today's games be 30 years from now? Rotting on old hardware, assuming the mass-produced, poorly made parts even hold up that long. Gaming is being treated as if it is disposable, instead of an art form and a piece of culture.

 

[Online]

its a shame a lot of game manuals have been converted digital and preloaded on the cartridges themselves, tangible material is always good and I'm glad many in this thread still prefer physical copies of gamez.

 

[FAST6191]

I recall a few years ago I wandered into a Game in the UK wanting to buy a console. All they had was third party bundles that the shop/warehouse and shrink wrapped together.

That said I have no particular feelings about this move. I certainly do not disapprove of it though.

Equally nobody has yet managed to convince me second hand is a bad thing and I still have to laugh when people try. Hopefully Steam and everybody else gets forced to allow easy trades/sales some time soon.