Digital vs Physical - The Video Game Debate That Just Won't Stop!

The age old debates. Apples vs Oranges. Left vs Right. Physical vs Digital.
The digital vs physical debate is a heated conversation that feels both as old as the rocks you used to chew as a kid, and yet still seems like a brand new problem that humanity is trying to tackle for the very first time. The Video Game industry has been all over the place on this and its about time we look at why its best to buy digitally or to keep all of those cartridges and discs on your shelf.
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Outro Music
-► Royal Outro from Beatscribe
0:00 Intro
0:15 Early Digital Age
3:16 Space & Degradation
6:08 Displaying Your Collection
8:41 Lower Cost of Entry
11:36 Rebuying & Reselling
14:39 Dumbest Thing Ever...
18:08 Digital Delisting
21:05 The Price
24:32 Preservation & Ownership
30:19 Preference
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#gamecollecting #digitalgamer #physicalgames

[@Silverguise]

As someone who has gone all digital due to how often I was moving, I still miss having a physical collection despite the convenience.

[@Zerbraxi]

I feel ya there. From around age 19 until my mid 20s I had moved almost 10 times. My Steam library carried me through that.

[@Kimvanloocke]

Time for A tangable game is running out companies want to take away more of our rights unless we stand together we wil lose options and only digital wil remain the new PS5 will not be with a discdrive and If they can diskdrives wil be fased out so when its gone you have no more choice

[@Kimvanloocke]

@@WyvernsAreDragons thats the quality that the last decade has been poor and you only watch what they offer you the question is what if there is more and even better than whats aveilble have you seen Excalibur (1981) dragonslayer 1981 The Princess Bride 1987 mel brooks movies

[@ChosenOne-il4bm]

@@Zerbraxi games are not like movies majoirty of people play a game and move on plus i am sure the popular games assassins creed final fantasy star warrs etc................. will always be perserve games are main stream now and aare interactive movies

[@Zerbraxi]

@ChosenOne-il4bm the majority of people watch a movie and move on too. I can probably count on both hands the amount of movies ive rewatched, or books ive reread. I'm not concerned about preservation for aaa titles as that will happen due to emulation anyway, but specifically the lesser known titles is what concerns me. I do think it's a shame that video games are often considered interactive movies. What a far cry from what they started as. Their original designs so emphasized all that film wasn't, and focused more on being almost like a visual representation of a board or tabletop game. The fact it's become synonymous with film is one of the largest missteps the industry made, and that direction was intentional which is so odd. However, I'm consistently happy to see that the games heralded as the greatest each year are the ones that focus on the gameplay and shed much of its film impersonation.

[@superninja252]

This was the BEST video i saw about the theme, fair points and gives ALL pros and cons of both Also about preference: I am in favor that we can have tbe best of both worlds, give Digital for those that want Digital, give Physical for those that want physical, give both for that like the both, there is NO single problem with that

[@Zerbraxi]

Thank you so much. I'm glad you enjoyed it!

[@Gr00t]

Here before you blow up, this is top tier content man. Gonna have to binge your videos now lol.

[@Zerbraxi]

Thank you! I hope you enjoy the rest of them as well.

[@Curlywhrly]

I just was watching this video than saw that you only have 2k subs I thought you’d have like 500k great work keep on going

[@Zerbraxi]

Dang!! That's big praise. I'm pretty stoked about 2k honestly

[@depinit]

Great video man 🔥this channel is lit!

[@Zerbraxi]

Dang! I really appreciate that. Thanks so much.

[@MilkmanYeti]

This man sure loves his Shaq Fu

[@Zerbraxi]

Easily the best Genesis game.

[@hatred4humanity]

Who doesn't? It's a cult classic.

[@netzer442]

Great video!

[@Zerbraxi]

Thank you!

[@RussVandy]

I love this debate😂 it’s one I’m constantly battling😅

[@Zerbraxi]

If I'm being completely honest, part of the reason I made this video was for myself as I internally struggle to choose lol

[@Wotvr]

Great video man, as a mainly physical enjoyer myself I appreciate that you explained the pros and cons to both sides because realistically there really are benefits to both. I buy physical whenever possible but can't deny my backlog of Steam games exist like I didn't buy a bunch of digital games because they were two bucks on sale. 😅

[@Zerbraxi]

Same lol! I have just as many digital as I do physical at this point.

[@commentresurrection1841]

People can debate all day long but in the end its all opinion and preference. I for one will never go full digital.

[@Zerbraxi]

It very much is. I hope I presented both sides fairly.

[@commentresurrection1841]

@@Zerbraxi Absolutely great video

[@JenKai0019]

Buy both Physical and Digital if you have the money. Or buy both versions in as many platforms as you can. I have like 4 copies of some games to ensure preservation

[@Zerbraxi]

Definitely the super answer. Not a practical one but without a doubt ensures preservation as much as possible.

[@DerTendou]

Very good video and topic. I'm currently in a situation where I reflect my Switch purchases over the last 6 years. When the console came out I wanted to have an all digital console to reduce the clutter on my shelves and having the convenience to access all my games whenever I need them. I was shocked when Nintendo announced in the same year that they would close the Wii Shop. I didn't expect them to do it so fast and I shifted back to buying physical games, after all we didn't know what this closure really meant. Today we know that you can still redownload stuff you purchased but we don't know how long you will be able to. The delisted games are concerning too but since you mentioned it in this video, I could redownload Scott Pilgrim on my Xbox360 when it was delisted back then. It was in the in the download history. My choice to go with physical games was maybe not the best decision because I love JRPGs and niche games and many of them are hard to get. They are either limited or you need to import them because they were only released in asia. I often payed 70 $ or more for rare physical games when I also could get the game for 15 $ or less on the eshop on a sale. This is a lot of money. I kinda want to go back buying more digital games to save some money and I hope that some politicians will come up with some laws that help keeping access to our games when the stores are closing. I don't think it's justified to pull away billions of licenses from paying customers so they don't have to pay for servers anymore.

[@Zerbraxi]

Your story here is very similar to mine. For quite a few years I went entirely digital, and then I lost several games in delistings or other issues and it frustrated me enough to shift back a bit. Ya, until digital rights management is in place to support the customer as much as it supports the retailer I'll still be prioritizing physical...or emulation.

[@TheSensationalMr.Science]

honestly I think they should just hand over server code on the last month of the game's life [especially online only games and authentication of said series of games {PS-gen, Xbox-Gen, Nintendo-Gen, etc.}] so that the customers could restart it if they wanted to [we used to have server code btw]. I mean it's either that or people will go to piracy/cracking to keep their games... cause there is no real other choice when your game "NEEDS" "internet". also passive pcap capture [capture of network traffic between game{client} and server{database, functions(API), authentication/authorization, and user-storage}] of said games probably counts as reverse engineering [also helpful in said role]... a service that game companies wish for you to do is "not to reverse engineer" " *their* product"... but where is my compensation for that service? I bought the game? they don't need to do that? huh.. weird. Hope you have a great day & Safe Travels!

[@thatssomegoodpie]

The biggest issue with digital is that you don't own your games nor can you transfer them to anyone else. I just bought a used PS3 with tons of digital games on it but couldn't access any of it because it's linked to the seller's account...

[@Zerbraxi]

Those types of limitations should also reflect in the price, but often digital is more important than physical too, outside retro at the moment.

[@DanStormVO]

I had bought Ori and the Blind Forest on Switch digitally before the retail version was announced, and just today re-bought it physically pre-owned. By some divine luck, the included download code for the soundtrack was still valid. I guess download codes for bonus content is a whole other debate, but in this case I'm glad it worked out in my favour

[@Zerbraxi]

That's awesome!! Ori is such a good pair of games

[@Zerbraxi]

@@666windmill666 Lol!! Now I wanna play some of the Naruto fighting games. They were awesome!

[@thepixeltavern]

Got to say your jokes and comedy timing in this video are spot on. Tell me, how disappointed in Hannnah montana were you 🤣. Great video as always, i feel your pain with wind waker and collectors edition. I had to replace my own recently. Also liking the anime representation, dragon ball and My hero academia are two of my favourites. War for Cybertron is amazing too and its sequel. And finally, someone else who agrees the ps5 is ugly 🤣

[@Zerbraxi]

That thing really is gross looking. I'm a bit behind on My Hero Academia at the moment, but hoping to play some catch up soon. I'm glad the jokes worked. Apparently having a stressful work week and writing while buzzed the entire time had its perks LOL. Maybe someday I'll have a fully committed video dedicated to Hannah Montana.

[@thepixeltavern]

​@@Zerbraxi Im holding out for the inevitable slim design because i dont want 1 console to take up my entire tv space haha Oh season 6 has been incredible so far, its turned it into i think my favourite anime. Dbz might still hold it. Haha well i know what to do for my next video 😄 Well i will be one of the first to check it out in honour of the time you sacrifice to play it 😅

[@TMNCurtlesonTwitch]

Personally I wish I would have kept buying games physically. But when I got my PS4 in 2017 I pretty much went all digital from the start and have never looked back. I really do miss any new game to my shelf.

[@Zerbraxi]

There are so many perks to digital that I totally understand. I've done that for music, books, and movies at this point. Though I still find it fun to look at my shelf and scroll through the boxes to decide what game I'll be playing next.

[@thatssomegoodpie]

Never trust digital. Even though physical has its clear downsides it's still a far better way to invest into games and preserve them for years to come.

[@Zerbraxi]

I tend to agree. Let's not deny the potential emulation also has for preservation as well especially with FPGA technology. Physical is currently clearly still winning in that department at the moment.

[@I_Am_The_Social_Reject]

I've lost more games physically than digitally . Never trust physical by that logic lol

[@thatssomegoodpie]

@@I_Am_The_Social_Reject Well if you're sloppy I geuss...

[@I_Am_The_Social_Reject]

@@thatssomegoodpie Simply ask yourself one question. Which type of games last you longer. That's all you'll need to know.

[@thatssomegoodpie]

@@I_Am_The_Social_Reject the answer is simple. Physical will outlive digital.

[@gabetinsley4540]

Great video! I’m a big 8 and 16-bit collector so I have purchased a solder gun, a bit set, anti-static mats, a multimeter, etc…. All so I can fix these old games if something goes wrong. It’s not ideal, but if that’s what it takes, it’s a fair trade for items that are nearly 40 years old. To be fair, the first solder job I did was to replace the save battery in my copy of Pokémon Emerald so you can imagine how stressful that was! Going digital would be much easier. For me though, whether through emulation or digital purchase of those older games, it’s like something is missing and I don’t bother playing them. Can only explain it as the “soul” of the thing is gone if there is instant access to every game ever made. Like you, I could emulate Little Samson today, anytime, but I haven’t done it. Given the price, I’m not against emulation either, but it’s just never been that important or that much of a desire. Take that for what it’s worth. Everyone is different in this age old debate.

[@Zerbraxi]

I totally fear you on that. My first solder job on a game was to replace the battery in my Pokemon Crystal, and as I showed in the video....It's a pretty terrible job lol, but it works!! You're on to something for sure. The amount of games I've played just because I walked by it on the bookshelf and was lke, "oh! Let me try that this weekend.", it's a pretty high quantity. I would love to collect games for the sheer fun of it, but I still have that nagging voice in my head that knows that so many of the games I own are in their physical form I have, or strictly emulation with no modern way to play them through means that would support the developers. This doesn't even get into the absolutely insane amount of games that have been lost that archiving could've prevented. Thankfully the community did a ton to save the WiiU and 3DS eShops for example but that's only because none of us did that for the WiiWare or DSiWare and we didn't realize just how many games were disappearing for ever. I gotta stop before I get on my "save the games" high horse lol.

[@marcosdheleno]

owning a physical copy is amazing, i remember back in the day, how good it felt to use cartridges. thing is, cartridges today are a joke. the switch uses a glorified memory stick. the irony is, they could, genuinely gone the extra mile and made it more fun(and less prone to losing). but digital, at least for PC, is 100% the best way to buy games.

[@Zerbraxi]

I don't mind the cartridges honestly. They're definitely boring in terms of style thought.

[@itsmatt517]

Video starts to sound more like digital PC games vs physical Console games after a while.

[@Zerbraxi]

Ohhh...good observation. That must be my bias coming out a bit there. In general that does fall into my purchasing habits where I'll usually buy console games physically when possible and then PC is overwhelmingly digital. It's funny how even being aware of my biases when writing this that some of it still subconsciously manifested in such an observable way.

[@itsmatt517]

@@Zerbraxi Yeah, I mean with PC there isn't much of a choice really

[@b4rs629]

That's pretty much what it boils down to for me. I have a pc & a switch for my setup. Can now play ps5, xbox, & pc games that I'm interested in vs owning Xbox Series X & a PS5 + pay for play online. To me it makes more sense to buy digitally on a pc than a console that may shut down their online services within a couple years. I feel like the last time I truly owned my games was in 2006 during the Wii era, but I also started playing on pc during Wrath of the Lich King in 2008 and basically never left pc gaming. I feel like pc is the best option right now if anyone is considering going all digital.

[@JamesLewis2]

"Decomp" is short for "decompilation" rather than "decomposition".

[@Zerbraxi]

Oh shoot did I say decomposition. I do know that so it must've slipped.

[@martinthomas2520]

I blame the consumers that advocated and pushed for “all-digital” future. Because of you guys, we’re stuck with paid DLCs, and loss of video game preservation, so thank you! /s

[@Zerbraxi]

Paid DLC is a really complicated topic because its something I love that we have options for nowadays, but it's also equally frustrating how it's been used and leveraged for locking out on disc content, day 1 dlc, etc.

[@cassandra2646]

I used to be a physical advocate. Digital removed my attachment to things, so yeah it does good to me.

[@Zerbraxi]

@@cassandra2646 That's an interesting angle to view this from. I never really thought of it from the more psychological viewpoint. Thanks for sharing that!

[@Zerbraxi]

@@WyvernsAreDragons I think this is a pretty interesting comment mostly because of the phrase" obsession to own it". I've noticed that in recent years this mindset of ownership has grown a toxic perspective and I'm fascinated to why. Owning something you purchase is the most basic function of a transaction. Either way I love seeing the discussion continue. A home gym sounds kinda fun. Enjoy :)

[@jamesloehr641]

It's giving up your rights to own your own movie and game libraries. Once physcial is phased out you will have to pay to play everything and everything will be a subscription service. Not only that they can delete any games they want at random and restrict your access to your favorite games. Force you to play new titles and pay extra to play them. It just gives full control to the companies and takes away your right to own and choose what you want to play. So people who bought into it imo are just lazy and don't like going out or changing disk. But for convenience they are willingly giving up their rights to ownership.

[@cantin8697]

It's literally just yet another Corporation vs Consumer debate. Physical games are objectively best for consumers --- you can show off your collections, you can buy them second-hand, you can sell them, you know you will always have the game even when your device breaks or for some reason the game would just be deleted from the online store or your storage, you can take the disk anywhere so you can play the game on your friend's console without them needing to have purchased the game.... etc. But they're more expensive due to needing to make physical disks, and give consumers too much freedom. Server costs aren't a unique concern for digital games, as even physical games need to be hosted on servers due to day-one patches and multiplayer.

[@Zerbraxi]

I don't know if it's quite that straightforward as there are plenty of proconsumer perks to digital as I mentioned. Preservation is also another bit of a hybrid issue between both as physical is more accurate whereas digital is more sustainable. I just think it's far more complex and interesting than it's typically made out to be.

[@mistabrown830]

The whole issue with digital media is that companies don't allow you to sell your copy of a game and always online drm. Once you remove these artificial problems with digital media there is no real advantage to owning physical games.

[@Zerbraxi]

I think the DRM piece alone would solve about 90% of the issue. At least personally, it's my primary concern and one of the reasons I tend to buy digital games on GoG or end up pirating cracked copies of games I already own to save backups for future.

[@brandonlee7382]

This video is amazing

[@Zerbraxi]

Thank you so much! I'm so glad you liked it.

[@brandonlee7382]

@@Zerbraxi You deserve way more views!

[@WesDoesGames]

I used to only do digital and now I'm seeing the value in physical, only now as prices are at an all time high, go figure. There's just something about putting the disk or cartridge in yourself

[@Zerbraxi]

For sure! I also went through a good period of time of only digital, but now I'm back in that hybrid mode with a physical preference. Snapping thr cartridge in or sliding in the disc is irrationally satisfying.

[@Crashed131963]

There are 3,454 cheap used ps4 cd games that end up in the used bargain bins sooner or later. The Blu-Ray drive is also a 4k movie player. I bought a used CD of Horizon Forbidden West for $30 from a used bargain bin that game is $80 at sony online store.

[@Zerbraxi]

@@Crashed131963 I constantly still walk by bargain bins for this exact reason. I"ve gotten some insanely good deals just by popping my head into a GameStop on my way through and seeing what is dirt cheap, even new at times.

[@gmirabelli117]

Awesome video! You are so underappreciated! I try buying most games physical but sometimes it's much more convenient to just download from the store also my ps5 starts making certain noises when loading up a cd 😂

[@Zerbraxi]

Yeah I tend to buy physical for consoles especially but you just can't deny the convenience sometimes. My PS5 also gets insanely loud with a disc in it. I put a mouse pad underneath the stand, you can probably see it in the video, and it almost entirely removed the noise.

[@gmirabelli117]

@@Zerbraxi hey good tip I will try that out! I fear for my disc drive cause I had multiple Xbox consoles fail on me even though I actually took good care of those things I get the feeling they really put in cheap parts in the disc drives

[@brandonlee7382]

Yeah the ps5 disc drive is a noisy bugger sometimes lol

[@Guy-May-Cry]

pretty sure that PS5 just needs discs to download games onto the hard drive so I've got no idea why that happens

[@littlebigguy4528]

Am I watching a scott the woz ep lol

[@Zerbraxi]

LOL!! I'm an older, more budget, more balding, and less creative Scott if anything. It is funny though. I've been making videos on KZbin for over a decade now and I can never escape similarities to other creators sometimes. One of the funniest things that ever happened to me was I made a Top 10 Zelda Dungeons video, and then PeanutButterGamer released one as well about 2 months after mine, and the picks were strikingly similar. I got comments about ripping his list off which made me a laugh a bit. Though in the case of this video, Scott and I seem to have similar opinions on digital vs physical so I'm sure there's some similarities that I expressed.

[@pinatacolada7986]

A PC will never capture the experience of using a CRT Television.

[@Zerbraxi]

I honestly thought a lot of people were just being dramatic about this point. Like, "I get it" and kinda knew it to be true, but never really worried about the differences between a well scaled image vs a CRT....but then I got a CRT about a month ago again and uh...wow...yeah. It's SOOO much better than even my $500 scaling equipment setup. It's wild. I'm hoping that in the next couple of months I can adapt and upgrade my setup to be able to properly scale for recording but still have a second output for a component connection straight to my CRT so I can play on CRT but record in properly scaled quality.

[@jasonboehringer4583]

"My mom always told me this would happen "😂

[@Zerbraxi]

Lol :)

[@cozzy4447]

Two major issues people rarely talk about with digital though. 1. You don't actually own the game its essentially a long term rental that at any moment can be taken from you. 2. Unlike physical which is playable on any account digital are tied to the user ID you bought the game on so if you get banned or lose access your screwed so that's hundreds or thousands of pounds/dollars down the toilet.

[@Zerbraxi]

I think the first point especially is talked about well at length. Ownership is, currently, one of the largest factors in the whole debate. Though I suppose many haven't been affected by it, or perhaps just don't care enough. Your second point though is definitely an interesting one and it's almost ironic considering how your "ownership" is locked directly to you while you don't actually even own what's tied directly to your id, and your id alone.

[@V3r0nicle]

Holy shit, I’m glad someone actually brought those points up. I’ve noticed how once a lot of games are removed from the digital game stores, it’s almost impossible to recover them and that’s hella annoying. This alone is personally why I’m more fond of owning physical copies despite how much room it may take

[@brianboisen1487]

But do you own the games? If u take ps5 and xbox series x All the games have day 1 patches And most of them need internet to play So when the servers goes down u dont really own the game? To say u own the games if u buy for ps5 and xbox series x is not true Buying physical games for ps5 and xbox series x is the same as buying a digital games in term of ownership 🤔

[@Zerbraxi]

@@brianboisen1487 For sone yes, and others no. In fact, PS5 is pretty good for the most part at this with many of the games being fully on disc. Ratchet & Clank, Kena, and many others. You do fully own the games that are on disc because a lack of internet connection in no way prevents the game from being played. XSX is a little more complicated as most of their games that are fully on disc are XBone versions with the XSX version to download since they don't use multilayer blu ray discs.

[@amwolfmusic]

16:35 Slight correction, when they ported Bayonetta 1 and 2 to switch, Japan got a physical version of Bayonetta 1 in a special collector's edition (which also had Bayonetta 2) which was the only way to get a physical copy of the game on switch for years while people in PAL and NA only got a download code for Bayonetta 1. That lasted until Bayonetta 3 release, where they finally released a physical version in the west.

[@Zerbraxi]

Ahh thanks for that info! I didn't know that about the JP release. It might have been a bit late but I'm glad we got it eventually

[@amwolfmusic]

@Zerbraxi yeah, Japan typically gets all the physical editions or nicer collector's editions than us in the west. I only know about the Bayonetta 1 physical because I purchased the switch collector's edition years ago. Physical Bayonetta 1 used to be considered one of the rarest switch games due to such a limited number being printed in Japan only. I believe there's a few more games in the same camp of being digital only except in Japan.

[@JJW199]

Selected Capcom and Namco (Bandai Namco) Title manage to be released in JP, US & Asia as Physical (with download version as optional) but the UK/EU released as Download only for 1 of 2 reasons: could not be bothered releasing a physical copy or marking budgeting reason Here is some example: Phoenix Right and Apollo Justice Trilogy, The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles, Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective, Katamari Damacy Reroll Series, Mega Man Legacy Series (Classic, X, Zero/ZX and Battle Network) and Mega Man 11 (Switch version only)

[@Zerbraxi]

Interesting. I've typically noticed US getting less physical options vs EU and CA though that could entirely be negativity bias.

[@WyvernDotRed]

As I moved to (Linux) PC after my 2DS and shortly the family Switch, I've been collecting my games digitally for as long as I care about them. But I do select what I buy based on reasonable DRM and keep everything I care about installed on my system. I have plans to soon burn the games I care about most to discs in a way where those discs will work for as long as data rot doesn't get them. 3D printing custom cases and making nice covers for it, which I will upload to Printables too in the hopes that people remix it with their favourites. In the case of Steam games this is to have a backup I can show off. But with emulating for example Panzer Dragoon Saga (thanks for mentioning that game) also to get the full experience in playing from discs. Which I hope to make a decomposition of eventually too, eh I can dream. Thanks for the video, was the best analysis of this I've seen so far on this platform.

[@Zerbraxi]

I'm so glad you liked it my man. When it comes to digital purchases, DRM is a huge factor for me and why I have so many games from GoG for example. Happy to mention Panzer Dragoon Saga. It's a game I've wanted to play since I first ever heard about it. Just gotta commit to it, but honestly, I really want a physical copy. It's the only "foolishly expensive" game purchase I am fully expecting to make one day.

[@WyvernDotRed]

@@Zerbraxi absolutely, while I stick to Steam mostly for their stellar Linux support, still most of my games would run without the client, just lacking achievements and such. And as I have a Steam Deck now, the convenience of just installing games and getting all the shader caches pre-computed adds to that, though sideloading works wonderfully too. > It's the only "foolishly expensive" game purchase I am fully expecting to make one day. I have accepted that it is just too expensive to justify, for that money I can get a 3D printer, inkjet printer, laminating machine, supplies for these and an old computer for good measure, everything I need to create my own copy. Still an amazing game, recently started replaying it and am finding more things to appreciate than the first time around. Playing on Steam Deck to always have my save ready, using Steam Link to use whatever big screen I am near, the ecosystem is great, even with sideloaded programs.

[@powerfulaura5166]

@@WyvernDotRed I'm a GNU/Linux & Steam Deck user too, which is why I buy from GOG less now despite being a proponent of DRM-free software. At the very least, cracks are developed for Steam games, so.

[@Kimvanloocke]

Digital is with added DRM then physical we need to stand together against DRM or they wil strip our rights one at a time

[@michaelmanning9028]

Nintendo did those kiosks for another reason, video game rentals are illegal in Japan, So people wanted a cheaper Way to try new games And also helped save chips during the 87-88 chip shortage

[@Zerbraxi]

I didn't know that! I only ever found a single interview mentioning retail shelf space but this sounds like a pretty large factor as well. Very interesting thank you.

[@michaelmanning9028]

@@Zerbraxi that's me! full of useless information 😅 but all the factors added together make a pretty strong case for "why?" nintendo used to be cool lol I can't take credit though, I heard that from gaming historian and gtv, gtv in particular has some really interesting and underrated videos, love the video sir! I always get excited when I get notified of a video of yours 😁

[@dangertsuchinoko1686]

Buying a Steam Deck has definitely helped push me towards Digital. I still buy games physical, but only console games that im not 100% sure that i will enjoy.

[@Zerbraxi]

I really want a Steam Deck, mostly just for the convenience. I think the new Steam Deck OLED will be the final push I need. Do you stick to physical on those games because it still gives you the option to sell them if you don't like them?

[@dangertsuchinoko1686]

@@Zerbraxi Yeah, it’s just a sure fire way to get some money or store credit back. I do it especially with PlayStation and Switch games because their online storefronts have no refund options whatsoever.

[@b4rs629]

@@dangertsuchinoko1686 I was thinking about getting a steamdeck for when I can't take my entire pc on the road with me.

[@SavingPvtSage]

Okay so a couple things… That fact that “Praise Joko!” wasn’t in Wendellll’s voice made me sad. Secondly, shout-out Vampire Survivors. Best $3 I’ve ever spent on a game. Lastly, it’s a good thing you’ll never actually have to worry about packing all your physical stuff up and moving across the country, right? … RIGHT?!

[@Zerbraxi]

Sorry to disappoint with the voice. I can only let Wendell out on very special occasions. The world isn't ready for that. And I'd absolutely not be planning to move across the country within the next year. Absolutely not!

[@frostyfrenchtoast]

There’s something quintessential about being able to just grab a physical disc or card and instantly play a game, or trade (or take haha) from a friend or cousin’s house after a party or something. But with modern gaming, the ability to instantly have an array of games by the dozen that you can instantly swap from has a kind of utility that can’t be ignored. For as much as a digital title can be made unavailable, a physical disc can be lost, scratched or ruined as well. The ability to have literally hundreds of games at your beck and call is an extremely strong edge. I’m a hybrid myself though, I won’t be getting physical discs of much of my library but going physical on the games you *know* you wanna keep on that shelf for years to come is the move for me. I would rather get that utility from digital alongside the security that physical games provide.

[@Zerbraxi]

Totally fair take that most replicates much of my own habits currently honestly. Though, if I could guarantee that any digital product I purchase I completely and 100% own, I would be way more leaning into digital media than my currently, roughly 50/50 split.

[@ratharos]

Digital is more convenient. However it goes without saying that it must be DRM free. Otherwise it's a glorified rental.

[@Zerbraxi]

DRM free digital is beautiful. I was a long time GoG supporter for that very reason. For me, once that becomes industry standard then this conversation boils down to preference and nothing more, which is what I hope for eventually.

[@derrickjohnson4952]

I always go back & forth with these arguments, because even though the PC is mostly digital, it has far more game preservation than the physical based media. But I think the answer is Fans(emulation modding ect ) & piracy are the only real ways for game preservation.

[@Zerbraxi]

It's definitely a much larger topic than many want to give it credit for. Thankfully modern technology such as FPGA processors also helps make game preservation and "accurately emulated gameplay" much more feasible, and arguably more importantly, more accessible to everyone.

[@adamwilson1691]

its all about the feelies. original box art, manuals, maps, posters, inserts, etc. if its a game I love than you'd better believe I want a complete copy of it.

[@Zerbraxi]

I can 110% get behind that.

[@adamwilson1691]

@@Zerbraxi same reason people buy vinyl. totally impractical but man is it more enjoyable if you love that album.

[@Pyroman7925]

Hey that's me. That's my collection. When it was about 150 games smaller. :( Still growing.

[@Zerbraxi]

Thanks again for sending the pics. Your collection makes mine look tiny lol

[@begochiddy]

You. Are. Amazing!!!

[@Pyroman7925]

@@begochiddy no you're amazing

[@SweetBianca]

I'm one that has always collected physical games but i think digital games have one great advantage no one talks about, that is the game cases, they can get dirty, gain scratches, get ugly from time and you get sad about that but digital ones not!! You don't have to worry about all of that

[@Zerbraxi]

I've always viewed worn out game cases and cartridges like worn out books. They feel well used and well traveled. The only thing better than a new game is a well played one.

[@SweetBianca]

@@Zerbraxi that's a good way to view that, i like it :)

[@gamerrant]

Yeah, but that's user error though.

[@Kimvanloocke]

You just have to worry when companies take your game away because they choose when and what physical its up to us

[@BlueEyedVibeChecker]

There's no debate there. PHYSICAL media contains DIGITAL data DIGITAL media is stored on PHYSICAL drives or servers. They cannot exist without the other, the only thing that changes is the one whose hands said media is in.

[@Zerbraxi]

Damn, I really just got "um technically" here. Let's be honest, while you're correct, we all very much know what each represents.

[@djtomoy]

If you buy physical media it’s still digital If you buy digital is still saved on physical media 🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯

[@Zerbraxi]

I woke up and this is the first thing I'm reading this morning. I'm not ready for this lol

[@djtomoy]

@@Zerbraxi well now you've read it you are finally awake FOR REAL!!!

[@michaelmanning9028]

When it came to the sega channels reliability I remember a couple times when it was a Winter storm and we couldn't get games to load correctly but It was pretty uncommon, Maybe we just happened to live in an area that had a good connection cause it worked really well for 1994-95ish

[@Zerbraxi]

Maybe my memory of my friends telling me about it and seeing it was very different then. To be fair I lived in the middle of absolute nowhere so cable was pretty bad in my area.

[@michaelmanning9028]

@@Zerbraxi right? I lived in Des Moines, the cable company was only a few miles from where we lived so maybe that had something to do with it? also it was only a few hours at a time a couple times a week so I wasn't on and didn't have "regular" access to it, so maybe it sucked when I wasn't around to see it

[@natel42069]

Ah a new entry in the Scott the woz like genre

[@Zerbraxi]

It's always funny reading this when I've used this character and style since 2013 ish.... Though he might have more WiiU games than me so I understand why people feel this way.

[@natel42069]

@@Zerbraxi i was joking i can very clearly see that its not the same i just wanted to point out that i think your style of humour is similar to his

[@Zerbraxi]

​@natel42069 Nah I didn't take it a bad way. We do definitely share some similar humor and style. Can't deny it lol Now...time to go back to some MAGFest concerts for me 😀

[@michaelmanning9028]

I hope you're proud of your collection it's impressive I probably had about half of what I saw you have there and I had to sell most of that off that 2nd time I got covid... Nothing hurts like selling your games when you don't want to, But I suppose at least I had that option and I would have been screwed if I hadn't so bright side I guess 😅

[@Zerbraxi]

I am pretty happy with it. I definitely would be bummed if I "had" to sell it but it would also be fun to recollect because I feel like my priorities of what I'd look to buy would be very different. Your optimistic view is admirable though. Long term I think you're right to look at it that way.

[@exotic-gem]

Personally I feel stuck. PC has no physical games, but is clearly a better platform : multiple stores, choice of controller/keyboard even for games never meant to support them, enhanced graphics, mods, Steam Deck… But I want to own my games ! I dont want to have them be able to disappear any day or randomly get an update that breaks them forever. I want to have a shelf I can browse and show-off, and I like when games are actually crafted for the hardware running them.

[@Zerbraxi]

I feel ya. I'm very much in a similar boat. There are options such as GoG that sell their games DRM free which is what I often do a lot. There are also some developers, though incredibly rare, that still sell the full game on disc for PC such as Larian did recently with Baldur's Gate 3. It comes with a standalone key as well as a steam key. In general though, sometimes I just gotta buy the game on the storefront, and then download a ripped copy for later. This way I support the developer, and get to own what I purchased. Its not a perfect solution, but I'm not waiting for the publishers to fix the problem anymore.

[@b4rs629]

This is the debate in my head with the digital vs physical & Pc vs consoles in modern gaming. 1. I only buy digital on pc. 2. I only buy Physical games on console. My thought process for physical games - Can I play this without internet? - Does this have dlc? - Does it require a download? - price - Is it a franchise game? If so, is it a franchise I care about owning & want in my collection? Is it all available on this single platform or do I need to buy multiple consoles? My thought process on buying digital games 1. It's digital only via console or pc 2. Does it have a physical release? Yes - ^ back up These are some of my thoughts to weed out modern era of games. Right now my current set up is Pc & Nintendo Switch since 2017, but switched to pc back in 2008 I'm currently have about 71 physical games & 50+ digital games. I plan to downsize some of my physical games to make space for other games. Pro's 1. It helps me keep a more curated selection of physical games I love 2. It helps me save money on both platforms - Especially when buying huge bundle /w dlc or entire game franchise collection for cheap if you have patience 3. Makes it easier for if & when I have to move 4. No dealing with console store front's closing & losing access 5. No dealing with having to rebuy games on the next console ^ 6. No dealing with upgrading to next console 7. Can sell your older physical games to make space for new experiences 8. No paying for online multi-player subscription services 9. Your games on pc are tied to your account & not a console generation 10. Access to a lot of games - PS5 & Xbox 11. You can upgrade when you can afford to 12. Your hardware lasts longer than a console 13. Better backwards compatibility Con's 1. Pc parts have become expensive 2. You don't own your games when you buy digital 3. Pc requires upgrades depending on the games you're into & what settings you would like 4. Costs more upfront, but can save more money by not upgrading, lower settings, + reusing parts for next build, or upgrade a specific part like storage. 5. Multiple launchers 6. keeping drivers up to date + fixing random problems Either way everything is temporary.

[@Zerbraxi]

Wow, this comment is surprisingly a mirror to a lot of my own thoughts and behaviors

[@alexanderpopov4691]

As a long time user of the physical game copies, I cannot deny the ongoing shift towards to digital only versions more and more over the time. The reason is the offers like "game pass". You buy an affordable Xbox as console and then 15 $ per month and access to a huge library of games that gets updated. Let's be honest only older consoles can run even physical copies without internet connection. You still preferably need to install game from onto hard drive and it also takes time. And for most games reselling price getting lower over the time.

[@Zerbraxi]

Yeah, I didn't even open up the can of worms, which is subscription services. There's so much to unpack there alone that it can be it's own topic. Xbox seems to be the largest offender with needing an internet connection but that's mostly because the disc's they use don't hold the series X version, just the xbone version. My PS5 did fine for a bit since I had replaced my router and forgot to add it to the network for like 6 months, but funny enough I never noticed anything playing it. Though even the internet connection requirement can be a perk in the perspective of Smart Delivery for example. It's truly a constant give and take of pros and cons. I truly believe that if digital ownership laws changed then this conversation would radically shift even further in favor of digital.

[@agentbl]

All of my games are digital. I come from the times of Atari, NES, SNES, and Sega Genesis. I have all these games on emulators with the roms that go with it. I have the whole rom libraries of Atari, NES, SNES, and Sega Genesis. I have these games in digital formats because they are not available anywhere I know to buy physically. A while back, they bought back NES and SNES consoles but as mini consoles. I was going to buy both of them, but I didn't trust them. So I stuck with what I already had. I'm very happy with what I have. I also have other gaming emulators. Nintendo 64, Sega Model 2, Nintendo GameCube, PlayStation 2, and Xbox 360. My entire video game is digital and I'm happy with it. I'm very happy with what I have.

[@Zerbraxi]

That's awesome! Quite honestly, being happy and with no regrets is the key. Emulation is a powerful and important tool that solves a lot of the problems I bring it. I just purchased and made a MiSTer FPGA myself last year and love it!! Enjoy the games 😀

[@begochiddy]

THAT'S MY SHELF!! THOSE ARE MY PS1 GAMES!! KWIN!!

[@Zerbraxi]

He's not here. He can't hear you.

[@Jimbo497]

Up until the latter part of the 7th generation there was literally no valid reason to buy digital outside of laziness. You always find better deals on physical console games, always. While that's still true, the actual contents of the disc is what's changed so much since then. The number of games that are completely dependent on being patched is so great that without an internet connection these games are far less playable or downright broken, making your disc near worthless. If more publishers released "complete" or "GotY" editions this would be less of an issue, but these are seemingly becoming less and less common over time. It's gotten to the point that if digital pricing actually began to follow physical pricing trends even an old man like me would probably go all digital, but we know that's never going to happen. This is indeed a deeper argument than it first seems.

[@Zerbraxi]

It's pretty complicated and there are so many factors that matter to differing degrees depending on who you are. But it's pretty fun to still talk about.

[@Crashed131963]

There are 3,454 cheap used ps4 cd games that end up in the used bargain bins sooner or later. The Blu-Ray drive is also a 4k movie player. I bought a used CD of Horizon Forbidden West for $30 from a used bargain bin that game is $80 at sony online store.

[@Zerbraxi]

Bargain bins are often how I get a ton of games. The cheap price usually gets me to try some games I normally wouldn't have as well.

[@garthwillison4782]

You missed one category which has been the bane of my gaming enjoyment. That is when you have the full game on disc, but the code to play it is linked to an account. I had a box set of Crysis 3 collection. I was not able to play as someone else had activated it on steam. No come backs..... so had to pay again to have it in my library. I have many PC games that are set up this way. So then, who owns the game in this case?!? Cant even sell the game discs when I want to.

[@Zerbraxi]

Oh my goodness you just triggered a memory that I think I buried long ago! I had that exact same thing happen to me when I bought a copy of Splinter Cell Conviction on PC. Exact same thing and my return was refused. I ended up having to pay for the game a second time as well, but this time I just bought it on 360 to make sure it didn't happen again. I can't believe I forgot that happened but you totally brought back that repressed memory lol!! Absolutely. That might actually be the worst.

[@Ryodarkcaster]

Really starting to prefer Physical ownership for the reason of Ownership the fact they can take away the game I spent money on is crazy especially when the entire push to digital was to make games cheaper but now they are full $70 off new games. So what’s the point. Might as well get everything if I’m gonna pay $50 to $70.

[@Zerbraxi]

Outside big sales on Steam and the occasional seasonal events, I've noticed that digital sales events have gotten significantly less and less worth it over the years. Prices just seem to stay higher than I recall from previous years in a lot of cases.

[@juanme555]

9:50 GOG is kinda physical in a way, Zerbraxi.

[@Zerbraxi]

Hmm, in what way? Like in how they replicate the material in your purchase to more match what you would've bought in store years ago? I guess there's also the DRM free purchasing which is specifically the goal I'd love to see happen. If digital purchases became DRM Free then this video would change drastically AMF probably just boil down to , " whatever, it doesn't matter anymore, we won."

[@juanme555]

@@Zerbraxi Precisely because of the DRM-Free nature of the client, right now, GOG is the only store in which you can buy games and turn them into physical copies that will 100% work without ANY internet connection in any given computer. Games like Star-Wars Jedi Survivor on consoles now need you to have an internet connection to have the full game (campaign) and Cyberpunk...day 0 patches, day 1 patches, long etc. GOG gives you the option to burn your game to anything, including a bluray or DVD, if you were to buy printable blurays, proper dvd boxes or any boxes you want, photographic paper and print everything, it would look exactly like a genuinely original physical copy that doesnt require ANY external help, and you could do it with any storage format you can think of, theoretically, you could do it with those hp cartridges that have 100GB capacity too and store them into VHS boxes. Right now, as things sadly are in 2023, that digital Cyberpunk 2077 you buy from GOG is more physical than the Cyberpunk 2077 you'd get on physical for PS4, half the game is lacking on the PS4 version and the other half thats actually there barely works. ps: im sure you know this already, but for those who don't, your gog games do include user manuals and sometimes extra stuff like soundtracks and maps or lore stuff, all thought for you to print precisely for physical copy.

[@russellmania5349]

The real issue is that your digital games are all tied to your user account and not the console itself. On the older Wii/Wii U/3DS consoles you just went into the Eshop and picked the game you wanted to purchase and that was it. People can still enjoy their Wii Games that they downloaded even though they took the servers down because those games are tied directly to your console itself and not a user account. Nintendo changed this with the Switch and finally caught up to everyone else. If you lose access to your account for any reason or your account gets banned then poof their goes all your digital games.

[@Zerbraxi]

The flip side to that though is that if your console dies, power surge or any other issue, then you're back at the same problem. I don't think it's a perfect solution, but I'm not surprised that some countries require digital marketplace accounts to even have your social security number so that all the purchases are tied to you directly rather than an account or piece of hardware.

[@russellmania5349]

@@Zerbraxi It would be awesome if you could redownload those same games on future consoles that you already paid for and of course they will never allow that because they would rather sell you the same game again and again. I don't like the idea of having all my games tied to my social security number thats way too much government control.

[@alphonsejohnson5601]

The thing is, I have a bunch of indie games, and they are not cheap at all on Amazon or eBay, Coupled with the fact that i don't have a job. 1 indie game, Shantae and the pirate's Curse, Is a VERY rare switch game that is not on Amazon and is a whopping $200 to $400 for 1 game and some of my other games have physical versions from Limited run and they are expensive. So digital is for me for the time being until i can get a job.

[@Zerbraxi]

@@alphonsejohnson5601 ​@alphonsejohnson5601 it's a constant swing back and forth of which is cheaper at any given moment. The reason I am still about 50/50 in terms of physical and digital is that very reason. Sometimes all of the theory and debate has to be completely ignored when financial impact will rule as king in someone's current situation.

[@awakenedcrowl]

Personally, I've just stopped caring and take whatever presents itself in the moment. If it's a VERY VERY hype game for me (like, a new Zelda or Mario or Monster Hunter or similar), I usually do want it physical on my shelf and even go to my local GameStop to pre-order it. But otherwise, I really just go with whatever offers itself, as I can absolutely appreciate both. I appreciate physical for not taking up my Switch storage, for being easily shareable with others, being playable once I put it in (and sometimes install a small day 1 update) and being presentable on my shelf. But I also very much appreciate digital for not requiring me to go somewhere, being always ready on the console (unless I deinstall something cuz I'm too stingy to purchase a bigger Micro SD Card), not cluttering my shelves even more and even giving me some nice shiny, rarely but sometimes even useful Nintendo Gold Points. So, I usually just go by price. Where is it cheaper. Both actually happen to be cheaper sometimes. Or if there are at least two upcoming Switch Nintendo published games I want, and the added value adds up to more than 99 bucks, I get them digitally with the Switch Coupons.

[@Zerbraxi]

I've found over the years that price tends to be the largest factor. You're totally correct too that both can be cheaper at different times for different reasons. A sale price or not is still often the largest factor for myself even despite slightly preferring physical

[@michaelmanning9028]

My copy of metroid prime trilogy was one of the casualties so I need to get on the virtual console before it closes and snatch that up before I can't It's basically March already so I better get a move on

[@Zerbraxi]

Yeah you're gonna need to step it up lol. Thankfully I think it's still only 20 bucks which isn't too bad compared to the physical version.

[@jamesloehr641]

Once they phase out physcial media everything will be subscription service based. You will have to pay to play everything and they get to choose what games you even have access to. Those services will also be more expensive and you will be paying large monthly fees to own nothing. Game libraries of games you own will cease to exist. Lazy people who hate going out or changing disk sold their rights to own media for convenience.

[@Zerbraxi]

I totally understand the convenience argument because I personally feel it myself from time to time. However, other times I also just don't. Digital is hardly as convenient as it once was with so many different launchers acting as DRM along with insane file sizes. In general, the reason I still stick to "mostly" physical, like a 55-45 split roughly, is because of the ownership. The longer time goes on, the more and more I value that ownership especially considering how much I love to play old games because there are some absolutely legendary titles I just never got around to yet.

[@exmerion]

I only buy physical when it's cheaper than digital when i'm looking to buy. I can still go download Xbox 360 games I bought over 13 years ago on my current console. so I'm not too concerned about them being ripped away from me. By the time they are I'll probably be able to pickup an emulator device with that entire console generation's library for 100 bucks.

[@Zerbraxi]

Microsoft has definitely had a pretty good track record. Though unfortunately I've lost several XBLA games from back in the day, Scott Pilgrim being the biggest for me. Thankfully they've done a lot with the XSX and XSS for backwards compatibility and digital access to older games.

[@aquapogs4338]

DRM Free Gaming is needed

[@Zerbraxi]

Extremely so.

[@donjason7874]

7k views but only 400 likes🙄 Great video though

[@Zerbraxi]

It's slightly over the average, which I believe is 4% like ratio, so I'll take that! The fact it has any likes or views is always a bit exciting. Thank you for the kind words.

[@JonTalksEverythingPodcast]

one of the big problems with physical media is that the video game or dvd disc damage way to easy and scratch way to easy to which will ruin the disc and u won't be able to watch it or play the game so there's minus and plus's for digital and physical media

[@Zerbraxi]

This is for sure a problem. My own cartridges have just died over the years and it's a real bummer. Thankfully there are some consoles such as the Polymega that will read real discs and cartridge's but will rip the rom/iso off them so you don't have to add the physical wear and tear to the media. Then when you're done it will write the save data on to the cartridge or necessary memory cards. It's a bit of a convoluted middle ground but a good example of how digital and physical compromises sometimes have to exist for people who care about things such as ownership for example.

[@JonTalksEverythingPodcast]

@@Zerbraxi oh yea and wow that's cool and I have never heard of Polymega before now

[@2911Lucas]

I buy some games Digital and some Physical. For Games with high replay value like the mainline Zelda or Mario ones i go Physical. This way i don't need to waste space on my SD-Card and the Games are well preserved in my collection. On the other hand Games like Splatoon, Mario Kart or Animal Crossing i go for digital. These are Games for me were i prefer the latest one anyways. Since Splatoon 3 launched i did not even thought about playing Splatoon 2. You probably want to access them easily for quick multiplayer. And i safe some living space because i don't have to store all my games. This way i can enjoy the benefits of both worlds.

[@Zerbraxi]

Ya I feel ya on a lot of those reasons. I'm often back and forth for similar reasons. That or because of a sale. Just bought Moonlighter complete edition for 5 bucks on switch, so I'll pass up on physical for that deal ya know?!

[@jtchoi2003]

I just buy where a game is cheaper, haha. Preservation of digital games can be really difficult if the console is unhackable though, like the modern Xbox/PlayStations. That being said, if the console is unhackable then preserving physical games is near impossible too (cant backup disc due to encryption, cant play a backup due to no emulator or no console jailbreak)

[@Zerbraxi]

Most of my purchasing habits is also directed almost entirely by price so I totally feel ya there lol. As for unhackable consoles / discs though, that's always a matter of time. Eventually it will be broken and the preservation cycle begins.

[@jtchoi2003]

@@Zerbraxi Fair. That being said if a physical copy of a title is the same or almost the same price as digital, I'd prefer to go with the physical version. Same applies to a game on GOG (DRM Free) versus Steam/Epic/EA/UbiConnect etc. on PC.

[@Zerbraxi]

@@jtchoi2003GOG doesn't get NEARLY enough credit.

[@beanie_demonx3207]

I do it this way series i love like zelds will bought physical and games just for fun like assasinscreed rebel collection was bought digitali on switch

[@Zerbraxi]

My problem is I've convinced myself to love too many games :(

[@beanie_demonx3207]

@@Zerbraxi i love many games to but if there is an discount of 50% Digital i will buy Digital on switch

[@powerfulaura5166]

False dichotomy, the real thing we need is DRM-free, which can be either digital or physical (which is just a medium for digital).

[@Zerbraxi]

If all digital goods were DRM free that would be a wonderful move forward in terms of ownership, however it should definitely not be the end goal. The goal should be much further. Sure, DRM free purchases from places like GoG are absolutely wonderful, but there are still consumer protections that aren't recognized simply because the means of distribution is digital. Simply being DRM free also doesn't even remotely tackle the technical issues of returning a piece of broken software. How does the company ensure the user has removed all copies of the item? For decades the industry has proven time and time again that unless forced to, it will not regulate and maintain itself. The entire existence of the ESRB in the NA territories stems from the US gov't stating quite clearly, regulate yourselves or we'll do it for you. Loot boxes and gambling laws, on disc dlc, and others are great modern day examples of this. I don't think it's a false dichotomy. I just don't think ownership stops at DRM-Free distribution. I think it goes further and DRM is simply a stop along the way.

[@powerfulaura5166]

@@Zerbraxi I certainly agree DRM-free is not the be-all-&-end-all, that would be free/libre & open-source software (F/LOSS) licensing, maximising end-user freedom/liberty, control, ownership rights, the long-term preservation of the software itself, etc. 99% of games are closed-source &/or proprietary software, but some of the most famous games of all time are F/LOSS, either because the developer released the source code (Doom) or hobbyists reverse engineered it (SM64). Although to be fair, what I'm saying is only to do w/ the engine code, not the game data itself which is still copyrighted & may be in tight or difficult circulation if you need to acquire it legitimately.

[@seriousman7282]

Hey guys, game at 3:31 ? Thanks!

[@Zerbraxi]

Ruiner It's quite a wild ride with an incredible soundtrack.

[@michaelmanning9028]

I was the kid who was stuck with the NES whenever everyone else was getting mortal kombat for their super nintendo and Genesis, I had a couple friends a few houses down who had both the Genesis and SNES and when the sega channel came out they got that and I just was floored 50 different games a month!? In retrospect I had like the best NES library any Kid could ever ask for but man I'd be lying if I didn't say I wasn't jealous of all those guys, I had a few friends who sold me half of there NES library for 5 bucks a pop and they were like brand new because they had put the cases up in a Box in the closet instead of throwing them away so I got Metroid, super Mario 2, chip and Dale rescue rangers, little Nemo, both Zelda's And a slew of other games complete in Box for 5 bucks each, So yeah I may have been stuck with the 8 bit machine but I had a collection! I know it's off topic but my parents were so convinced that the NES was broken because you had to hit the reset button, blow in the cartridge, adjust the cartridge, Basically hold your face just right in order for the game to read, It's something that would never fly today, but we all dealt with it the American NES model, But my parents kept trading NES back to Toys "R" Us every time the warranty would get close to running out And hopes that they would get one that "worked" They had done it so many times that by the end we had the super Mario brother 3 challenge set, When we originally bought it, it was super Mario bro one and duck hunt.... Sorry I have a bad habit of commenting as the video plays I'm sure I'll throw a couple more up there before it's over lol

[@Zerbraxi]

No need to apologize. I love answering back to you and seeing where you started replying lol. It's amazing how things we thought were normal to play games your parents thought was a technical deficiency. Honestly they were probably right and it really shouldn't have been that bad but alas, the NES was still legendary and we all love. Speaking of NES games, I just found a game called The Guardian Legend that I had never heard of but looks awesome!! It looks like an upgraded Blaster Master with Space Shooter mechanics. I'm always so impressed by the 8bit Era. Do you have any NES games you think aren't talked about enough?

[@michaelmanning9028]

@@Zerbraxi I had a game called Deja vu it was a hard as nails at least to me almost point and click adventure game that I always enjoyed, Gun Smoke was another really fun game, killer soundtrack, little Nemo was great, Chip and Dale was always one of my favorites also one of the 1st games I ever beat, I had a game called yo noid that in retrospect was probably pretty terrible but when you're a kid you'll play anything and I probably put more hours into that game than anyone should have lol

[@silverdamascus2023]

For the people who claim that physical media is superior, nope, it's not the solution: - It can be lost, broken or stolen. - Even if you take care of it, it does not last forever, cartridges and discs will someday stop working, even if never used, and floppies are ephemeral. - Recent discs are not made to last, made with cheap plastic. - Preserving the software means nothing without the hardware to run it, many classic consoles and computers are breaking down and can't be fixed, while modern consoles are much more fragile and not all consoles can have those clones. - It takes space, not everyone can have shelves full of games. - Older games can have physical copies around, but they may cost a fortune, maybe even more than a new current gen console, in recent years, videogame collecting became a very expensive hobby. - Arcades are a big example of physical media that doesn't work, they are expensive, they are rare, they are big and only rich people can have them at home, they are hard to fix, and many classic arcades were never ported into home versions, or had inferior ports. - And most importanty, in many cases nowadays, physical media is just a fancy digital purchase, it may be just a download code in a box, or you still need a download or a constant connection to play the good or complete version of the game, get DLC, play online, or just play at all, many games require internet and servers working even if you buy physical. For personal use, physical games still have a lot of advantages over digital games, but they aren't a godsend, and neither physical or digital media are good for videogame preservation, the only option is piracy.

[@Zerbraxi]

At the end of the day, isn't piracy just a digital option?

[@AV-kc7oh]

I always go digital with books and manga since I actually own the files and can save them on hard drives...video games physic because it's just not the case unless you buy on gog

[@Zerbraxi]

I'm the exact same way honestly. Even Audiobooks you can often store the entire local file with no DRM. If video game ownership was treated the same way as many other entertainment media, then this conversation would be way less interesting which would be a good thing for all of us.

[@AV-kc7oh]

@@Zerbraxi Basically, DRM is the bad guy here not digital media lmao

[@cosmicsvids]

@@Zerbraxi You could have the benefits of both if console makers actually allowed you to install your physical copy to the console with out having to put the disc in every time. They won't because of piracy but theres ways to avoid that such as registering that copy of the game to your account so it will only be able to be installed on a console with that account.

[@michaelmanning9028]

I will totally buy one of your 3 copies of Zelda collector's edition

[@Zerbraxi]

Message me on Discord and I'll send you one. I don't need 3 and I'd love to help rebuild your collection. Maybe your son will like the games too. If you can't find me on discord there should be a link directly to one I'm in, in the description.

[@michaelmanning9028]

cool, between my phone being really slow (I live in the country),trying to get kiddo to sleep and updating discord it may be tomorrow when i get a chance. 😁 Thanks!!

[@johnofthewired]

i fall on the side of physical just because i like knowing that years from now when i want to play the games again (and i only buy games i play meltable times as im poor) that i CAN play it again

[@Zerbraxi]

This is definitely a large reason I didn't dive deep into but probably should've. The primary reason I get so nervous about the digital games that I've had disappear on me as much as I do is because I came from a family with very little money. Because of that I get pretty protective of what I do own to this very day despite having overcome those economic hardships. I totally feel ya on this one for sure.

[@Raiden-the-Goat32]

1st law of the Internet what goes on a server must fall with the server. Cause the company's are doing a crap job of preservation.

[@Zerbraxi]

The fans are picking up the slack wonderfully though!

[@BitchChill]

I'll end the debate

[@Zerbraxi]

Consider it ended. Might as well remove my video now I guess.

[@TheSensationalMr.Science]

24:30 so me wanting a return on my investment, to resale a product that I own [disk for physical and digital auth code for online], and the ability to sue for damages is selfish, yet them forcing an arbitration clause [a service to not bring them to court, but bring myself to their punishment ring], forcing me to use their guidelines [a service], not reverse engineer the game and double check for malware on my own [another service], and also return the game ownership back to them [another service] with no compensation.... that isn't selfish? when I buy it for a single $60 purchase? huh, should we state that hammers are service to use and we should pay $60 every month or lose hammer? not seeing any selfish tendencies here.... at least not under the consumers side. also little known fact... NDA's and NCA's under contract law [which EULA's are under] require payment for services... like keeping trap shut, and not competing.... else it is blackmail or extortion. oh and check the Diablo and owning souls in Eula's court case... nothing egregious should be in a EULA. said the court. [EDIT: changed formatting to dispel confusion] Hope you have a great day & Safe Travels!

[@Zerbraxi]

To me, as I had mentioned in the video, the largest issue with digital products is ownership and the complete absence of litigation supporting said ownership. I firmly believe that if digital software was "owned" upon purchase rather than "access to a license" this conversation would be a radically different one.

[@TheSensationalMr.Science]

@@Zerbraxi fair though I also think the lack of ownership and the arbitration court details in the EULA could be egregious according to the court case with blizzard's Diablo owning your soul not being allowed [can't find citation due to the recent scandal blocking it]. though it seems the "take it or leave it" kind of EULA's [you know the ones that say if you click no, stop the program and yes it plays type of agreements] are not enforceable. though I am also equally unaware on the finer details of EULA's thou shalt and shalt nots. Hope you have a great day & Safe Travels!

[@itsaUSBline]

I mean what's the debate? Just buy whichever one you prefer. You're your own person and other people can't tell you what to do, nor should it bother you when other people make their own choices about what they want to do. I don't know why literally everything has to be a "debate" these days.

[@Zerbraxi]

Everything has always been a debate since the dawn of time. The only difference this time is that we're talking something that really matters....video games.

[@I_Am_The_Social_Reject]

You know these videos help people know the differences. So why are you telling people to buy what they want? This helps them. For me, it's just fun to see if anyone can really make a good point defending physical that I can't immediately debunk lol

[@Zerbraxi]

@ragingreject Education and discussion =/= directive. You mention debunking though you've debunked nothing. Only added to the points made and repeated exact examples I already mentioned outright.

[@I_Am_The_Social_Reject]

@@Zerbraxi You basically debunked yourself. I didn't need to. 2000 games, 3 of them removed ring a bell? Education and discussion Help people know the difference.......... No way!

[@ogre706]

Growing up in the 8-bit/16-bit era, I can't stand physical anymore.

[@Zerbraxi]

Why is that? The clutter? The degradation of the items over time?

[@ogre706]

​@@Zerbraxi Clutter is a major factor. Over time the shelves of physical games in my room started to feel suffocating. And the games that actually meant something in my life would disappear into that mire. There are other reasons as well.

[@Gamez4eveR]

as someone with a bit over 1000 games on steam, digital is soulless it takes a lot of tangible engagement out of gaming. picking out a game from a shelf is more fun than scrolling through my game library. i don't currently have the space for a dedicated retro gaming setup, but I will when I move out

[@Zerbraxi]

This is actually something I've started to notice and experience myself over the past few years or so. Taking an "active" step in playing a game, such as looking and choosing through the shelf as you say, can definitely add to the overall experience. I never understood the love for vinyl records when an insane quality FLAC exists for me to listen to. However, that "active" step in, dedicating time and effort to the experience, by grabbing the record, turning on the player, etc, I think I get it and understand why it means so much to people. By dedicating an amount of effort and energy into the activity, that effort seems to serve as a force amplifier of enjoyment. It's kinda funny how most of my life I focus on removing as much friction to anything as possible. However, ironically, some friction can cause entertainment to be even better.

[@Gamez4eveR]

@@Zerbraxi one could be cynical and say there is something vain in all of us for wanting a more unique experience - "digital only" makes one feel like a fish in a barrel with a predefined experience that everyone else has - perfectly fine for the game itself, but kind of melancholical if this homogeneity exists outside the game itself. Too device centric I'd say is the main issue I have.

[@LethalBubbles]

There is no debate. the debate already has been lost. there's nothing wrong with digital except that it's on some server that you don't truly own. if you ran you own server and provided the game yourself, then digital is fine, but peoeple would cry "piracy", so they make these physical tokens which sometimes don't even have the game on them, that just work as DRM keys for a digital "update" or "installation" which is literally just downloading it just like it would if you had bought it digitally. If you go way back in time, to retro games, or to like, budget plug'n'play consoles where they actually are playing off a physical chip inside the physical thing, and you can copy it, and make your own server to play it off of. then yeah that's when physical is better. but that's not the case so it doesn't matter outside of having a nice little piece of artwork or a way to play it without much data (still not "offlne")

[@Zerbraxi]

It's going to take an eternity of human existence to be able to gather a general collective to accept the idea that ownership is not a problem. As long as ownership and agency are issues within the digital space, the debate will exist. Solve that and we move almost entirely to preference. We're very close to that outcome, but there's still that one major hurdle to overcome at the moment.

[@Anonymous-wb3nz]

Physical. Next.

[@Zerbraxi]

Why didn't I think of that?

[@stefantherainbowphoenix]

I hate the "you don't own digital games" argument. Because guess what: You don't own physical games either. You own a licence on a disc or cartridge that can get lost, stolen or damaged, and you don't have the right to get another disc or cartridge for free if that happens. In addition, game publishers have the legal right to revoke your physical game licence for whatever reason as well. They most likely won't do it without a very good reason, just like they most likely won't revoke your digital game licence without a very good reason, but they can do it. Furthermore, while you currently can't resell digital game licences, digital games tend to be cheaper during sales than physical games, unless you buy physical games second hand, what doesn't support developers at all and has its own risks, you can even get them practically for free if you're subscribed to PS Plus, for example, you can still play digital games when you share them, physical games may not be in stock when you want to buy them, digital games don't require any physical space, you don't have to change the disc or cartridge every time you want to play another game if it's a digital game, you can play digital games on another console without having to take the boxes with you, and physical games are worse for the environment due to the manufacturing and shipping and due to the fact that discs, cartridges and boxes are (mainly) made of plastic.

[@Zerbraxi]

Your second paragraph is totally spot on and represents genuine perks to digital. The first is just inaccurate, though. You might hate that argument, but it's true. I can't speak for the rest of the world, but at least in the US if a company recalled or "revoked" a physical media, you as the customer are actually under no legal obligation to return the product at all. Absolutely none. You don't own a license, you own the product. Of course you don't own the copyrighted material but that applies to any product absolutely ever, but you have full right to do basically anything with a physical copy, including making digital backups. In the digital space, if your license js revoked, it's revoked. You have no say or agency over it. That's the distinction being made in the argument about digital ownership. I tried very hard to convey the nuances of this conversation in the video as best I could because morally, economically, legally, and heck even creatively, this is a very new problem that is kinda fun yo figure out. Like your mention of subscription services, they are AWESOME with their own issues but not every issue will affect everyone which is great. I really appreciate the comment!

[@stefantherainbowphoenix]

@@Zerbraxi No, you don't own the game, and there are ways to effectively revoke a physical game licence that don't require you to return the disc or cartridge. For example, I lost the ability to play my physical PC version of Prince of Persia: The Two Thrones on a supported system via the compatibility mode because Ubisoft decided not to release copyright drivers that work on a supported system or just ditch the DRM solution. In addition, my point that you don't have the right to get another copy of the game for free if yours gets lost, stolen or damaged is completely accurate.

[@Zerbraxi]

@stefantherainbowphoenix ohh, you're going down an entirely other conversation I'd love to dive into further which is hardware support of software. Its mostly unrelated but theres for sure some crossover. That isn't quite tied to ownership as there are still methods to play, though the frction behind it is definitely unacceptable and should be handled better as other forms of media have managed to do so just fine. However, your Prince of Persia example, as well as the example I provided with War for Cybertron are a fault of both physical and digital equally as aggressive DRM will revoke both digital and physical licenses equally. I tried to clearly express that fact exactly in the video, though maybe I wasn't clear enough. As for the lost, stolen, and damaged, those are definitely risks but the key point again is agency. You have agency over those situations, except theft but if we're gonna consider theft then yet again neither is necessarily gonna win that. However, we could dive into the weeds of cataloging and insurance which does in fact entitle you to replacement value of games but that just gets too muddy and I wouldn't be able to respectfully address the complexities and different examples of that.

[@mr.selfimprovement3241]

👉 *SOME CONTEXT/LIFE-STORY FOR THE BROS HERE:* - I'm 37. - I have been gaming since I got an Atari 2600 and NES. - I was actively collecting videogames as far back as 1997. - I was selling stuff online at that time to purchase more games. - I've been having the 'Physical vs Digital' and 'Emulation: Good or Evil' Debates since 2005. - I have worked around the game industry since I was 19 and was lucky enough to get connected. - I worked both for major physical videogame publications and spent a short time in videogame web-content. - I have hosted, moderated and participated in countless conversations about videogames and the industry. - I've heard every angle of this topic possible for 18 yrs now, and RADICALLY changed my own mind MANY times. - I had a collection of over 3,000 physical games and 41 systems, that had for over 20 years. - I SOLD that collection in 2014. - I had an 'All-Emulation' setup for a bit. - I then watched Retro YT channels like MYLIFEINGAMING and was shamed for not playing on REAL hardware. - I bought a PVM/BVM and had a bunch of CRTs when you could buy them... but they still cost me a lot. - I bought over 21 retro consoles (again) and had all of them modded, and bought expensive RGB cables. - I bought a bunch of seriously overpriced Everdrives and Flash Carts for those systems. - I enjoyed that setup until Retro Gaming TY decided RAW Pixels in 4K was the only way to play... - I Bought an OSSC. - I Bought a RetroTink 2X. - I Bought a RetroTink 5x Pro and sold the other two scalers. - I sold all my expensive CRTs and hurt my back trying to transport them. - I bought a 4K OLED. - I suddenly realized that I was making my games look like they were being emulated... so what's the point? - I bought a MISTER FPGA. - I sold a bunch of those modded consoles and their RGB cables that My Mister could emulate. - I got some ODEs (Optical Disc emulators) for my remaining Disc Consoles like Saturn, GC and Dreamcast. - I hacked my 3DS + 500GB SD, PS3 + external HDD, and softmodded my PS2 with FBMC + 2TB HDD - I loaded them with ISOs and ROMs and sold all my remaining 'modern' physical videogames. - I spent finally committed to buying ALL my games last generation digitally. - I have a Steam Library that is uncomfortably massive. - I actively spent months avoiding deals on PS5 Disc editions to buy the Digital Model no one wants (it's lighter). - I plan on selling my Saturn and Fenrir ODE as soon as the Saturn Core in MISTER is complete. - I look forward to the future where I have a FPGA that can replace my DC/PS2/GC/XB (I shall sell those then)!! - I recently bought a Steam Deck and loaded RetroArch on it and been loving emulation again. - I checked online to see current state of retro game and hardware prices... and kissed my MISTER FPGA. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 🤣My Point?: *_"THIS IS HANDS-DOWN THE SINGLE GREATEST VIDEO ON THIS TOPIC I HAVE EVER WATCHED!!!_* ❤👍 ...and I have seen a nauseating amount of TY videos about this very topic since I started watching this platform in 2010. NONE of them ever manage to do it in a fair, unbiases way, and most conveniently omit half the stuff you mentioned here because it challenges their views one-way-or-the-other. And most of them are less than 10 minutes... or are full of fluff and ranting to extend their views to make it look like they have something of value to say. And you did ALL THIS and STILL managed a bunch of edits and gags! *_*Chefs Kiss*_* 😘👌

[@Zerbraxi]

This was one of the most fun comments I've read. In a lot of ways it's mirrored my own journey of back and forth between digital vs physical as primary methods of purchase. I too am now in a bit of a hybrid where I'll often buy physical first but have an equal amount of digital games with retro consoles hooked up with third party cables and mods, connected to a RetroTink 5x and a lot of the time I just play retro games that I physically own on a Mister. I appreciate the kind words. I think the reason I see the benefits to all of the sides is because at the end of the day all I care about is being able to play the game. Once the act of playing becomes an obstacle, that's where I get frustrated with the long term consequences of that and probably why I've landed in the hybrid world I find myself in today. Thank you again so much for this comment. I really appreciate it and hope that you'll enjoy other videos I've made and the plenty more to come 😀

[@I_Am_The_Social_Reject]

Now I gotta look into if OLED matters. They say it does on phones.

[@carlosb8130]

% of digital game sales in 2023: Mobile/smartphone: 100% PC: 100% Consoles: 75-80%

[@Zerbraxi]

What's equally as interesting is that in the last 5 years or so there has been an increase in physical only online storefronts that have opened because of this exact trend. It's always kinda cool how the shift in one way has opened up new markets and business potential on the other. Though the 100% PC can't be correct because, well, even I made a handful of physical PC purchases in the last 6 months of 2023. Though if gaming doesn't adopt some of the barebones basic and fundamental preservation behaviors that every other form of media has adopted then my view of it being "cool" will change pretty dramatically.

[@m12m123]

What is that game ? 14:35

[@Zerbraxi]

That's Blue Fire! It's a 3D platformer with some strong Zelda inspiration. It's one of my favorite indies from the past few years so I always try to show it off in hopes of this exact question lol

[@rsolsjo]

Thanks for looking at the positives and negatives of BOTH. We need more of that. And I always find it funny that downloads are presented as such a pain. 😂 Set your console to the right power mode and the game is preloaded by the time you want to play it. Hell, you can even buy and download games to your console from your phone these days.

[@Zerbraxi]

It's more that one of the largest perks of consoles is gone. At least that's my angle on the joke in the video. I fully understand the technical reasoning and even the perks of installation since I've been a PC player a large chunk of my life too, but going from "pop it in" to "BRB in an hour" definitely a bummer but not really that big of a deal in the grand scheme of things.

[@Raiden-the-Goat32]

The maker of this video when the servers for his games shuts down "No my digital games are gone NOOOOO"!

[@Zerbraxi]

I've been through that emotional roller coaster far too many times. 😢

[@NYCJoeBlack]

PHYSICAL, Physical, physical‼️‼️‼️ Rarely, have I ever purchased DLC/full digital games.

[@Zerbraxi]

Do you often wait for a physical release for a digital only game like PlayAsia, Limited Run, Super Reserve, etc?

[@NYCJoeBlack]

@@Zerbraxi - I buy from Limited Run Games and retro stores. I keep my eye for games that may have limited retail print run in general and I am aware of companies like XSEES, Square-Enix, Altus, CAPCOM, and others who may limit the number of copies of certain games for whatever reasons.

[@megamanmegamanmegamanmegam8725]

I used to be on the physical gaming side but I became more for digital gaming, since it is more convenient to buy games digitally and not having to go to a game store. To buy them just to be harass by one of the gamestop employees well even though I buy pc games digitally since physical media doesn't even exist for pc gaming anymore Since pc gaming now is all steam and the epic games store and I honestly would prefer buying games digitally and it is more cheaper than physical games though. Well of course there are people that claim that digital is expensive but I'm sure those people ain't aware that physical games can be way more expensive than the digital games Since those physical games can get rare and even very expensive since people will sell it at such a high price which I do find it funny when people complain about digital games. Being expensive but yet they wouldn't complain about physical games being way more expensive than digital games lol! but of course I always will know both digital media For gaming and physical media for gaming both can have their own problems and I wouldn't be the only one that would know that also.

[@Zerbraxi]

I tried to point out the fact specifically that physical and digital are, funny enough, both cheaper and more expensive than each other at varying times. It's all a matter of timing and some games stay cheap forever regardless of their corporeal nature. It's a constant back and forth for me and I typically just buy whatever the better deal is.

[@fullspectrumdominanc]

Physical sales of old games on eBay ! Debate won 😂

[@Zerbraxi]

We have a winner!! 🏆

[@megamanmegamanmegamanmegam8725]

That can be a high price though

[@MrMartellSincere]

I used to be on physical games until they were either stolen from home invasion or get lost. So i decided go full on digital on my ny games from here on out

[@Zerbraxi]

Jeez. That's so unfortunate 😞

[@MrMartellSincere]

@@Zerbraxi it's an lesson learned on my end. It sucks 😔😞

[@rueagonvyceratops2879]

they will die once the stores go down , or some kind of sever issues with the providers of digital downloads. As why i like physical still and always will. because i do not like the new age of sighing into a account , just to play games , when with a physical i can just pop in the disk and play . digital you can not do that should there ever be a issue, with everything online , or digital.

[@Zerbraxi]

There is something always satisfying about grabbing a cartridge, a controller, pushing it into the console and that's it. Ready to play in a matter of seconds. That's definitely a relaxing convenience I value a lot.

[@BUTT-HEAD666]

Physical for me I don't have any digital games at all I live near Japan where they are known to have so many physical games so I'll always have them to look forward to with digital you never own anything. If you don't own a physical copy of something you never own it

[@Zerbraxi]

I have quite a few Japanese imports of games that were never released physically outside Asian territories. I'm very happy that Japan still does as many physical prints as they do.

[@megamanmegamanmegamanmegam8725]

You also don't own the game physically either

[@joeblowjo]

Why would anyone want that many games? That's insane!!!!!!!

[@Zerbraxi]

Because I love them!

[@I_Am_The_Social_Reject]

I know right? Think about all the games he'll never even touch lol. I get to the point where I stop buying and force myself into clearing a fraction of my backlog. I can go years without buying a game. Final Fantasy 16 is the first game I bought ungifted in years. I still got dozens to play. And I got PS plus and sometimes PC game pass. I'll turn them off once in awhile to tackle my backlog as well.

[@Dylightful]

Oh dude are you ShempOfficial?

[@Zerbraxi]

Lol! No way. I'm nowhere near as handsome, my hair isn't as lush, and my audio isn't as clear. :)

[@Dylightful]

@@Zerbraxi disagree my goat

[@jakemiddleton1783]

Physical for consoles, steam for PC. This is the way.

[@Zerbraxi]

But then how am I supposed to get those lovely cardboard discs with digital codes on them?

[@leonlegend]

@@Zerbraxi make them yourself

[@michaelmanning9028]

An odd trick I found to find games in my PS3 library that were removed from the store front was by accessing my history of downloads through Call of Duty modern warfare 3 that's how I was able to redownload X-Men the arcade game And E a's version of tetris, I no longer have said PS3 so I can't test and see if that method still works but it did

[@Zerbraxi]

Oh wow. What an interesting quirk. I would've never thought of that

[@michaelmanning9028]

@@Zerbraxi Well that's not originally why I used it I was trying to redownload some DLC And in doing so it listed my whole history of purchased items from the store front so it was kind of a fluke that I found it

[@type2red]

Nba jam on fire edition does this as well 😉 👌🏽.

[@Zerbraxi]

@@type2red I wonder if anyone has compiled a list of this particular quirk.