PlayStation 3: retail disc vs. digital delivery

What are the advantages of a PSN download over a disc copy? Do games run better from hard drive? Digital Foundry investigates.

[Sandmano]

I will always be retail disc, there's just no trusting the hardware to keep the software intact.

[iGAM3R-VIII]

Agreed This actually a really great observation,this means that downloading games from the XBL Store or the PSN store the load times are faster and gameplay is much better, smart analysis

[thechosenone]

If the game manages to get corrupted for whatever reason there should be a way of repairing just those game files similar to the way that Steam does it or if worst comes to worst you can just re-download the entire game, either way it's not a big deal. I have 180 games in my Steam account and love just being able to click on any one game and have it start right up. The other benefits of digital only games are not having to worry about scratches/smudges or cracked/chipped discs.

[kneon]

The risk of disk damage is overblown and almost entirely up to the user. Between music, movies and software I must have used 1000's of disks and I've never had one damaged if fail.

[thechosenone]

I guess you never owned an xbox then.

New Xbox 360 Slim Disc Scratch Test
http://www.youtube.com/watc...

[GuyThatPlaysGames]

I'm with you. There's nothing like having a hard-copy of a game. I honestly haven't noticed any difference in performance or graphics from a PSN downloaded game to a hard-copy of the same game. But then again that's just me.

[slapedurmomsace]

@Sandmano, completely agree, and I'll add if your ISP has data caps, digital can become a problem real quick. If you do anything else, game online, netflix, stream music etc....well you can blow those caps pretty quick. And games are only getting bigger. If people like digital more power to them, but for me, just allow me to install the game onto my hard drive and I'll enjoy the benefits of both worlds.

[BattleAxe]

I've swapped over almost my entire PS3 collection to digital downloads. I've got a 500GB HDD, and it just makes things so much easier. I don't have to have game cases taking up space, and with having all of my games on my hard drive, I find that I'm more likely to play games that I otherwise would have just let sit on the shelf. Also, when you get older, it doesn't look good to have video games all over the place when you have the ladies over for the night, so having everything on my HDD works out well.

I've had my home broken into before where I had all of my PS2 games stolen, but if that ever happens with my PS3, I just buy a new console and re-download my games. I also find that I waste less money with digital downloads, since every once in a while I would get pissed off with a game and would trade it in, only to re-buy that very same game 6 months or a year later because I regretted my decision, well this fixes that problem.

[Minato-Namikaze]

I suggest you find different ladies or find you a gamer girl that accepts your habits.

[dasbeer88]

Digital delivery FTW!!

[jdktech2010]

It's funny because on PC I prefer digital distribution but on consoles, I prefer having the disc. That being said, I'll buy whichever is a better deal cost wise since I don't see too large of a downside to either.

[peowpeow]

So if it's done well then digital is quite good and maybe preferable. I agree I love my steam collection but have not and never will download a retail game on my PS3

[LOGICWINS]

If you have fast Internet and a big ass hardrive(500GB or more), digital delivery is the way to go. Don't have to leave the house, nor do I have to wait for Amazon to ship the game to me.

@OVOXO_Mike- Your not seeing a difference because you might still be using the stock hardrive in your PS3. I upgraded my PS3 with a Seagate Momentus XT Solid State Hybrid hardrive. Runs much faster than the stock Seagate PS3 hardrive. In GTA4, objects in the distance load much quicker than before. The adaptive memory makes it perform better the more you use it. Think of it as muscle memory, but for a hardrive.

[izumo_lee]

Mostly buy retail but when games are released that do not have a retail disc like Arcana Hearts,One Piece, or Okami than buying in digital is the way cause it is the only way to get these games.

[Man-E-Faces]

I have a physical disc collectors edition of Arcana Hearts 3, and regular disc copies of Wipeout XL/Fury, Ratchet & Clank Quest for Booty. I hope to import soon the upcoming One Piece 2, Kens Rage 2 which is already out from Europe. You have to keep track nowadays as some games and PSN only games like Darkstalkers HD are getting physical releases in Asia, Europe with us here in the states getting digital only. Also this is a nice perk of the PS3,Vita and hopefully PS4 is the option to import almost any game and get those physical copies when available.

[young7yang]

all the above mentioned games have been released in Asia and japan..

I personally own Okami HD the disc addition and yes it is in English and Japanese..

[izumo_lee]

I know but the problem is that i live in Nth America that these games are only released in digital form. Can i import these yeah sure but at times shipping cost for imported games can be ridiculous.

Bought Project Diva f & Senran Kagura vs. for about $80 each after all the costs.

[ScytheX3]

Digital much more worth it, if and when you go ins on games with friends.

[jcnba28]

I will always buy physical over digital. I just don't feel like I own the game when I buy it digitally. Plus it's nice to see your gaming collection.

[Rhythmattic]

^ Agree 100%.

Firstly I can lend it to friends... or have a swap meet...
Also at least if I ever decide to sell a 360 or PS3 game, I can.... It may not be worth much, but its worth at least something

[young7yang]

same here.. i feel as if i own a bootleg copy...

[DarkBlood]

Retail for me, if it was digital i wouldnt feel the kind of need to have it immediatly since its going to be there so might as well wait for years to play it when the price go down alot

but yeah i like having a collection to look at, much more value that way in my personal opinion

[cjflora]

I like the idea of digital content and with the PS4 if I can get the content almost instantly I see my going more digital next gen. One other thing I like about digital content is buying a game means that it works on more than one console at a time. I can get Borderlands and if I have 2 PS3's in my house we can play on both consoles with the one download.

My one complaint is them limiting console activations. In my house I have a PS3, 2 PSP's and a Vita. My son wanted to play Killonze:Liberation today and apparently I can only have 2 portable consoles activated for downloading content. They need to increase that if they want to encourage me to buy multiple consoles.

[josephayal]

Digital is too expensive

[ScytheX3]

how so? new releases in the USA come off cheaper than retail, $59.99 exactly no tax, retail youd paid $64 and cents.... and sometimes you get better bonuses buying digital over retail, example Tomb Raider, on psn you got every retailers pre-order bonus + a free psn game thats valued at $15....

[nevin1]

Retailer have new games on sale quite often to compete with each other.

You cant beat that.

[nevin1]

Retailers have new games on sale quite often to compete with each other.

You cant beat that.

[young7yang]

no box, no disc, no instructions.. and before you replay with thats just pennies on the game don't forget its part of the experience of owning the game..

[b_one]

retail, it gets cheaper and cheaper due time.

[Oh_Yeah]

Debating whether to go all digital next gen...on one hand, no wasting gas to go to the store, you'll be able to re download them if you get robbed , they'll always work, convenient... The only thing that'd stop me is if the game is sold cheaper at retail, so hopefully Sony keeps an eye on price drops and matches them or matches them and cuts maybe 5 bucks off since it doesn't have a case and all. I'd definitely go all digital if they do that, directly supporting the devs and Sony while getting those benefits is a win.

[Shadowolf]

I can certainly understand why many gamer's would still prefer physical copies of games over going digital as there is a sense of security with being able to hold your game in your hand with the peace of mind of not worrying about losing your games due to some type of hack or system failure however, I'm personally not in that majority. While I still enjoy physical copies of games, my physical game purchases have decreased considerably with the amazing offers on Steam and Sony's free game downloads on Plus and Day 1 Digitals.

HALO 4 and God of War Ascension were actually my last two physical game purchases in the last 7 months. I bought Tomb Raider which recently was a weekend full game sale bundle on PSN for $29.99 and as of the last quarter of last year my PSN digital downloads have increased consisting of Assassin's Ceed III, Dishonored, Mass Effect Trilogy, Black Ops 2, DMC Devil May Cry, Ni No Kuni, Bioshock Infinite and Dead Space 3, not counting the wealth of games I've downloaded via Plus and Steam during this time.

Ultimately I believe the convenience of not having to leave my home to purchase a new must-have game, including the quick option of simply clicking the game I want to play which is in my instant game queue which has been downloaded to my HDD has spoiled me quite a bit. I definitely see this becoming the norm in the not-so-distant-future.

[ACEMANWISE]

They still haven't made it clear what happens to your digital purchases if they stop their online service. While I agree that digital is a superior format over physical, it isn't when it's tied to a service provider.

It may save gas, the possiblity of scratched discs, or add convienance over discs but I wouldn't trade those for the inevitable loss of my digital purchases.

[o-Sunny-o]

Digital is cheaper. Me and my friend enjoy game sharing. Pay 120$ plus tax or pay 60$ minus tax? I prefer when it comes to certain games on disc like Last of Us, Beyond, Tales of Xilia, Time and Eternity, and watchdogs. Otherwise I like sharing games like Saints row 4, Splinter Cell Blacklist, or any multiplayer games.

[Kidmyst]

Mostly Retail for all purchased games for me. DLC I have is free plus games, PSN/XBL exclusive download games and DLC. Plrefer physical becaus ecompanies won;t allow you to download it forever and if I want to sell it I have something to sell.

[Tales RPG addict]

I want physical Discs for LIFE. I'm against all digital and say if your console is no longer support it may not be any good anymore for Digital titles.

[violents]

The big problem I have with digital is the games sit at full retail forever while the retail version falls in price. IMO digital should always be cheaper(cmon give us incentive to go digital at least) because there is less overhead (ie, no distibution costs or retailer royalties), and then keep with whatever current pricing is, too many times ive seen a new game in a retail venue at like 30-40 bucks and on PSN store it still sits at 59.99 for the same game with no extra incentives to buy digital.

[TimelessDbz]

My only 3 beefs with digital
YOU DO NOT GET GAMES AT MID NIGHT RELEASE (PSN)
CHARGE THE SAME AMOUNT AS A RETAIL GAME AT A STORE
Not paying for taxes and I am not getting a instructions booklet (WTF)

YOU DO NOT OWN THE GAME WHEN BOUGHT DIGITAL