Rain...all week rain. NJ is rather gloomy this week and there's no end in sight! At least it's nice to fall asleep to the sound of raindrops hitting the windows. The chill in the air...that's not so nice! Time for me to snuggle up and get some rest, bad weather or not. See you in a few, short hours!
Nintendo hasn't exactly been the most forward-thinking company when it comes to online offerings. Their titles that support online play are few and far between. Their consoles and portables seem to have online as an afterthought. That has lead third parties to ignoring those types of features in their content, save for a few exceptions. Some might have thought that all was lost, but now we see that Nintendo is getting serious about online.
The 3DS is clearly Nintendo's most connected platform yet. It shows an evolution of Nintendo's stance on the world of online gaming. It might be too little too late for some, but I believe most are just happy to see that the Big N is finally putting time into creating reasons for third parties to implement online features in their Nintendo platform games.
Obviously, this push is going to get a major kick in the butt once Nintendo starts rolling out their digital/retail simultaneous launches. The first title that will take advantage of this approach is New Super Mario Bros. 2. It's up to you whether you're going to purchase through retail or online, finally making the entire decision up to the gamer instead of Nintendo.
We also know that the Wii U is going to offer digital titles on day one, another big step for Nintendo. Right out of the gate, we'll be able to enjoy the option of staying home to pick up some of the latest/greatest in Wii U software. To have that kind of option from day one goes to show that Nintendo is very serious about turning their online image around.
With this new digital frontier for Nintendo just around the corner, I'd love to hear what you guys have to say. Do you think you'll be doing your purchasing through retail or the new online option? Is the ease of use something that will make you a more frequent digital purchaser, or do you enjoy actually owning a physical copy of your games? Leave a comment and let us know!
RSS Feeds:
@LegendofSantiago
As far as I'm concerned 10AM is still too damn early for me, haha.
At the same time, it's not as though every game does get a demo. Slowly but surely getting there on 3DS, but it often is up to the devs, is it not?
I vote retail. You own a physical copy, its not going to suddenly get yanked from the digital store and never return, you don't have to worry about hard drive or SD card space, if your system is stolen you still have your games (unless they are taken as well). I always go with a physical copy over digital simply because iTunes has screwed me out of about 20 albums by not having a way to re-download purchases unless you burn them to a lower quality disc. I know Nintendo is better than apple in that respect but losing your save data for DSiWare during a system transfer to 3DS also really sucked! Digital does not support local stores and Nintendo has rarely had any sales on there downloads where stores constantly have sales and If you really don't like a game or never intend to replay a game you can get a good percentage of your money back.
This is a relevant point, but it is also worth noting that technology exists to (1) link physical copies of games to a single machine and (2) prevent machines from playing used games (which would do the same). And there are rumors that both Sony and Microsoft are looking into doing something along that line. Thus, it may be an allowance question rather than a digital-physical question.
Now on to the OP -- I like retail where possible. It is amazing though that for application software, we don't think the same way (download that app ($1) -- or software package ($100) -- quickly and let's get to work).
Mike from Morgantown
physical only
its not even a choice
only dummies choice digital
Under the guise of "it isn't priced lower" the digital versions have far less appeal. For one, I can let others borrow physical games without giving my console to them as well. I don't sell many of my games, but that's impossible with digital versions (individually speaking). Nintendo currently has no model in place for dropping prices of digital content, so if it stays that way, it would seem that physical prices will always win out, used market or otherwise.
For the foreseeable future, Animal Crossing is the only thing that seems to win out as a digital version for me, for the convenience of ditching a physical card as often as I plan to boot it up. That and it's a pretty personally crafted world that I wouldn't pass around freely.
Call it spite, but I honestly can't look past how the digital versions make more money at the same prices, and I'm not willingly going to overlook it. So for a big company like Nintendo, they'll usually be getting less money from me as I buy physical versions. But for the little guys I wanna support, I'll be freer with buying digital versions.
Retail for me... At least I'm the only one to blame if I ever loose the game.
Digital all the way, because all I really care about is the game itself. I don't collect pieces of plastic.
Of course, it should be digital done right. For example, I like how Steam is set up. It has regular sales, built-in chat, automatic updates, and an easy way to transfer purchases from system to system.
I prefer having physical copies mostly, but I can easily see myself springing for a digital version of Pokémon or the aforementioned Animal Crossing. Having them on the system and ready to go whenever, wherever is very tempting...
I imagine it's not something I'll be doing often, but if I feel like going digital will allow me to get more play time out of a game, I'm all for it.
@FollowMeAround
Same person. I enjoy RFN & POP. Two of my regular weekly shows along with Retronauts, Games Dammit and Weekend Confirmed.
I also like when I hear a username that I recognize on various podcasts and other sites.
Digital is much, much nicer in general. Everything is just there and I am more likely to play games that I haven't in a while if it just means clicking an icon. It is particularly useful for mobile gaming. In addition, the low overhead means that crazy good sales are possible, as with Steam.
There are only a few games that I do want to collect, but I would hope for the ability to store them on my system digitally and just have the physical disc for display.
I like retail, I like physical objects, and being able to SEE my collection. Besides box art is pretty. I only get digital when it's hard to come by a retail copy or they're so expensive. A VC version of Super Mario RPG costs WAY less then tracking down an original cart, SNES and controller etc.
I am a staunch retail fan, but I plan to embrace the digital model on a case-by-case basis. I think, for portables especially, digitally downloaded games are handy to keep on your system.
For the games that I plan to return to for extended periods of time, like Animal Crossing, a version saved on my system will be great.
For something like NSMB2 which I'll play straight through to the end and then not touch again for a while, I'd rather have the packaging and cartridge.
Definitely no way I'm going digital if they're sticking with the same price as retail. First off it doesn't cost them near as much to distribute a digital copy, there's absolutely no reason it shouldn't cost less. They could still increase their profits while lowing the price and making everything more convenient. On top of that Nintendo has yet to ever do a sale, when I can save at least a couple bucks within a month if I buy through Amazon or similar site there's little reason to go digital. Sure some games are going to be more convenient digitally, but when Nintendo isn't being reasonable with the pricing I can't justify paying more than I have to.
All that said though, if they do shape up and lower the costs I wouldn't be adverse to some games digitally. Animal crossing for instance makes far more sense to always have on hand.
Retail.
While they take up space, I like having something physical and something that, if I wind up not liking, I can sell either to Gamestop, or online or to a friend.
Obviously I will buy digital games, but they usually need demos. I am a pretty good judge on what I think I will like, having only had to trade in a few games in my lifetime (and some I did in desperation for money, not because I actually wanted to trade them in; Which I regret to this day).
My WiiWare (and DSiWare) purchases have been kept to a minimum due to not knowing what most will be like and feeling like the end result is a bit overpriced compared to my enjoyment or length.
I also hate cluttering my storage space.
I refuse to buy any 360 games from Games on Demand due to the sizes. So I would probably not buy any retail 3DS or Wii U titles unless they were stupid small.
i disagree online gaming works on nintendo titles , it's rare but it does work without a hitch , well no problem like the others games . Sure cheaters here and there , but compared to the rampant cheating on cod . But more importantly they made new things , like the most important one the splitscreen online coop of mario kart wii . They even provided a free automatic video app with videos that could not be seen elsewhere at all something that would require a xbox live gold AND a subscription . Swapnote is just a magnificent idea . Heck they even absorbed in the west the usual ridiculous fee mmo or mmo like experience on console usually have (monster hunter tri)
The reality is i'm never going to pay three hundred bucks even over five years just to play online , a service free in any other platform from pc to ps3 , from vita to ds classic , it's just disturbing the length people will go in to justify xbox live gold . They are charging for nothing ... well maybe if psn+ becomes the norm next generation , the wii u would be the only free online platform but i doubt that. It's paying for nothing and they will now sell a subscription device based on that /
well , that being said , i don't think i'll buy online games available in retail , unless it's coupled with an anti theft protection like steam (account) . I don't see any platform owners selling their retail online game like steam , unlike valve they do need third parties and they don't have a monopole . PC gaming is only truly through steam . Console gaming is a split between the three
If nintendo was really doing it right, I wouldn't have to choose, I would get both.
but with how they handle accounts and such, physical for the time being.
Retail for sure, i will buy physical copies as long as im able to. Digital is fine and a good alternative, but i dont want it to be forced as the norm. First off Hard drive space is a huge issue, most systems now dont guarantee us much room without spending more money or just not even giving us a proper amount, and more than most times we will end up having to delete a bunch of stuff just for the next new thing because the games take up a lot of room. And then theres the possibility if your sytem breaks or gets stolen, more than most times those games are gone for good and the company usually wont help you out in that regard. Im a collector and having access to all my games forever is something i want to be able to do for a long time, and like others have said once that service is gone so is the support for those games.
I prefer retail but I love having the option for digital. One scenario that I've run into waaaayyyy too often this generation, especially on Wii and sometimes on DS is the games go out of print then it becomes very hard to get the game as prices sky rocket for both new and used (see One Piece Unlimited Adventure).
I understand why companies have limited prints as it is a risk for them to keep a ton of copies of the game out however once all the games are also available digitally though, this will be an issue of the past.
For all the reasons others have stated, retail.
I like owning the things I buy. A physical copy is mine, my responsibility, and I can do whatever I want with it. A digital copy not so much.
Another problem with digital under Nintendo's non-account system as was alluded to above is if your 3DS gets lost or stolen...your ENTIRE game library is now gone. All that money you spent...gone.
With retail games that obviously isn't the case. With a persistent account that isn't the case. These are major flaws in Nintendo's current system.
I won't ever say no to options because everyone has a different preference and situation.
The answer is obvious for me, I buy products to own; I don't like to pay for licenses to products. If that doesn't really explain it, the difference is simple, you own products and can sell them again, licenses are not the same thing, they are non-refundable payments for rights to a single copy in a specific space, and are non-transferable.
Retail is still the only option.
That doesn't mean I don't buy a very small number of digital only games. But the games that I do pick up are throw-away to me, or remakes of games I already own (perfect dark XBLA) and the experience was impossible to pass up- no joke, perfect dark XBLA was the single reason I bought a x360 from the beginning.
'Unchained Blades' is coming to the 3DS eShop and was originally a retail game. If any other funky circumstances arise to make digital a good deal, sure, but I don't expect any low prices coming from digital services on a Nintendo system. No siree. (Unless they are purely digital games they can be)
As a rule, I go with retail. The exception being really good sales like you'll find on Steam sometimes, but when developers want to keep prices the same as physical copies, I'll pick the latter every time.
I value full ownership, free from DRM and the inability to play a game on the compatible hardware of my choice. Also, I value being able to accumulate equity with my purchases, and recoup some of my investment by future resale (and even, in some cases, the possibility of making a profit on resale). Also, as other people have said, I like a nice game case, disc, artwork and manual for their own sake.
As for the convenience of downloaded information, why don't game companies offer Digital Copies along with their retail games, as movie companies do with DVD's and Blu-Rays?
Retail. Unless its a PC game. I don't want to deal with using discs. I just like starting things up. So I use steam.
I know that I would easily pay an extra $5-$10 bucks if a game came with a digital copy! The only problem is it would have to save to the system not to the cartridge, which is not a problem for WiiU!
View the full discussion!