Digital vs. Physical Video Games - Retro Bird

[@RetroBirdGaming]

Games played: Castlevania: Circle of the Moon (0:01), Mario Kart 8 Deluxe (0:15), Earthworm Jim (1:05), Breath of the Wild (1:20), Super Mario Odyssey (1:50), Sparkster (2:55) Also, some clarification: What Twin Snakes on GameCube experiences may not necessarily be disc rot, and just a deterioration of the art layer on top. I'm not sure if it could eventually spread and compromise the readability of the disc itself.

[@TheFakeBenWalker]

Is sparkster related to rocketknight adventures

[@joetyler2485]

Would you continue to buy physical games if the boutique stores (Limited Run, etc.) were the only option? Even if prices continued to rise over time for those copies?

[@siredaruler6016]

I think even if servers do shut down years from now emulation will help us get those games back 😎

[@RicardoRandom691]

@@TheFakeBenWalker Yep! The SNES version is a new adventure, and different from the Genesis version, which is a sequel to the original Rocket Knight game.

[@TheFakeBenWalker]

@Ricardo thank you will probably buy both find it funny that when they are sequels during a time when nobody had 2 consoles other than spoiled kids they released the sequel on the other console

[@Mingodough]

I feel digital is only good on pc where you can keep copy and pasting your games to different hard drives forever and play it on whatever pc (for the most part) but if it’s console, I prefer physical

[@homerthompson416]

If the game has Denuvo you're screwed if they ever take the servers down. Sadly the only way to own digital copies is through piracy.

[@basilcar007]

@@homerthompson416 Not true. There is something called gog where you really download and own the digital game.

[@femto8402]

@@basilcar007 the gog library is still very limited unfortunately

[@homerthompson416]

@@basilcar007 And GOG only gets games that have Denuvo removed, which isn't much.

[@melancholas]

And let me add one more aspect, to what you've mentioned already, that even server based games often still survive on PC (and offer sometimes even more) like Star Wars Battlefront (the original, same as the newer ones).

[@driverjb09]

Dude your sense of humor is amazing.

[@RetroBirdGaming]

Thanks!

[@nickparsons337]

I'd like to think that anyone who was a child of the '80's and teen of the 90's and anywhere inbetween that time period most certainly prefer the feel of having a copy of a game they love; twist it around in their hands to study it in awe of all angles, study the manual, and realize that game is actually yours. Digital copies just feel far too fleeting. A warm breath of fresh air; exhaled into winter weather.

[@RetroBirdGaming]

The way you describe it takes me back to how I felt as a kid getting a brand new game.

[@tonyp9313]

Sure. Digital games didn't exist in the 80's or 90's. Games were super expensive vs now. Yes as a kid I loved looking, opening game cases etc. As an adult I care about playing games.

[@nickparsons337]

@@RetroBirdGamingThank you. Exactly what I meant to convey.

[@nightfightsday]

I am 42 and I don't care honestly. I do not get a boner from holding a game in my hand. All of my games on Steam are MINE and they are not going anywhere ever. Even if Steam was bought by another company we would still keep our games. People are paranoid and not thinking correctly. I am also not a hoarder lol, and I do not collect boxes and manuals. This isn't the 90s any more. The things I miss about the past is the simplicity of life but simplicity with tehcnology. I miss good movies, games, music, TV, and women that didn't look like porn stars. I miss pre-internet with no social media. I dunno man, I have better priorities and other things to worry about. Still, interesintg points made in this video and I get it.

[@robertlatham4541]

,🍭

[@UltraMuffin]

I laughed out loud several times during this video. That doesn't happen often. Love your sense of humor, man!

[@RetroBirdGaming]

Glad to hear!

[@retrogamingknight]

I have a serious problem with digital games costing the same as the physical version. The publisher is cutting out manufacturing, warehousing, distribution, and the split to the retail store. It's even worse when the game is published by Nintendo, Sony, or Microsoft since they aren't paying a licensing fee or the fee to host the game files and use the online store.

[@Gutsyredcoat]

I have found that hardly anyone even thinks about that, based on how many times I've said the same thing and people were blown away by that statement haha

[@anthonyw5261]

But nobody discount. What a jip!!!!

[@dragonblindgaming]

Part of that is because of the stores that sell the game. That way, they both have a fighting chance of selling. They have an agreement that the digital copy of the physical copy are not going to be different in price.

[@WhiteDove73-888]

They are literally always on sale. Hello? McFly?

[@dapperfan44]

​@@WhiteDove73-888 Until we go all digital.

[@thehollowedtree9586]

As a collector I'd definitely go with physical. For most of the reasons that Retro Bird mentioned. Most importantly I can sell the games, and most have gone up in value since I've purchased them so I definitely wouldn't be losing any money. I'd get the same amount back I put into the collection, if not more. For the Nintendo stuff I'd definitely get more. And I don't have to worry about servers on anything before the PS3 generation. I can also experience the games as intended on original hardware with physical. Not to mention I have all the box art and manuals and can see what the game looked like when it released whether it be cartridge or a disc game. With physical you have full ownership. You're in control. The only upsides with digital is the convenience factor, and the fact they are sometimes on sale and can be bought for a good price. Or played as part of subscription service like Nintendo online.

[@AdmiralBison]

You can have both physical and digital. For older console like the Xbox360/PS3 and below you can use modded consoles (they are so easy to buy these days) and use them to rip your games to make digitial copies… back them up twice on to hard drives and use emulators to play your games. PC - I get DRM free games from GOG, back them up and that way I own my games. It’s legal to make digital backups of your physical games for personal use, while you can store your discs and hard drive backups securely and don’t wear them out. There is software that allows you to burn them back on to blank discs. Again, legal to back up your games for private use.

[@OfficialDJTasawennateken]

You can actually have both your physical and digital copies revoked by the way A lot of people have a misconception with this false rumor going around that only physical copies are saved from being removed from your possession and that digital copies are not and they can have their license revoked but the same can happen with physical games your license for your physical copy can also be revoked in your CD will become nothing but a little paperweight

[@diegog1853]

Honestly I just have very superficial reasons for prefering physical, in general I am not worried about the longevity of digital services and definitely I am not concerned about reselling any games. I just like the physicality, the process of physically picking up a game and put it on my console, puts me in the mood for playing and gives me a special satisfaction when I finally beat it and goes back to the shelf like some trophy. With portables games, I even like the inconvenience of not being able to take all your games with you wherever you go. It makes me really think on what I am likely to play, look at all my games and choose a handful for the ride of varying genres and lengths.

[@tonyp9313]

Yeah it's cool to show off your physical collection or to grab the games & browse through them etc. I love that. However if we are talking about playing the games digital by far. Yeah I get you can't hold them or show off to your friends

[@diegog1853]

@@tonyp9313 yeah it feels very different. Like when someone shows me that they have 400 games in their steam account and it never feels like it you know? Kind of like having a million dollars in the bank and having a million dollars in cash, it is simply difficult to realize how big the number is without looking at it. And really having physical games becomes its own hobby, where people at some point just enjoys having them, while digital I think it is less so. But there are some people that don't like the hobby or feel it is unnecessary and that is perfectly fine

[@runisa]

I feel like the these companies shouldn’t force people to to go digital, but you have people on the other side not really seeing what we’re losing to the digital world. Also you can share physical copies

[@diegog1853]

@@runisa I mean... I agree that we should maintain physical as much as possible. But you also cannot force companies to sell physical games... I mean some indie studios for instance cannot even afford it. I mean one of the reasons that so many games are releasing today compared to before is precisely because studios and companies do not have to physically print copies to sell their games.

[@dominicvl1990]

I’ll be happy to give my sons all my physical games someday. I don’t think leaving them a bunch of digital games would offer them as much value

[@generalsavage4103]

And if your children get to mouthy you can always send them to the netherrealm with an N64 controller

[@GigaMan91]

4:37 Marvel vs. Capcom fans have been blessed this year!

[@Draftcard]

I do both. I end up buying things 2 or three times because of this but that's because i hate collecting money

[@paulafaber8589]

If you ever feel your house starts to clutter up with all that filthy money, You can always count on me to help you out. Just gif me a call and I will get this heavy weight off your shoulders , for free!

[@BombShopUniverse]

Thanks for pumping out these videos every week. I know it must be draining but my friend and I watch your vids like clockwork, appreciated!

[@RetroBirdGaming]

I appreciate all the viewership!

[@tubefreak1025]

@@RetroBirdGaming I enjoy content as well too,for your love of video games and sense of humor especially lol. Keep doing what u love dude

[@zxmoore1]

Thanks for the great video...as always. Like everyone else before the mid-2000s, I had my stacks and stacks of physical games. There was always something so beautiful about seeing all of your games lined up, cases matching, filling up your cabinets. Of course, those times have changed. Digital games are just more convenient for me, and I can store them on my PS5 and quickly move from one game to another. I also have this odd feeling of seeing a physical game sitting on my shelf collecting dust as lost money, and tend to get rid of them. Also, seeing hundreds of unplayed games give me this sense of anxiety, that I need to play these games but I cant play them all and feel overwhelmed. It's like a constant reminder that I have all these games just sitting there. In the end, there's really two reasons I like digital, firstly, I find digital games go on sale more frequently than the physical copies. Secondly, I dont have to get up and get the game or wait for the game to be shipped, which has the chance of breaking. I like the fact that when a game releases, I can roll out of bed, turn on my PS5 and purchase the game, right then and there without wasting money on gas or shipping. Dont get me wrong, like many of you 30 year olds, I had the cd, dvd, and blu ray collections in my bedroom and enjoyed having them, but it was time to move on. Thanks!!

[@saubea]

This!

[@nai3346]

The problem with physical copies, even for modern games, is the scalpers (or whatever they like to personally call themselves) who buy up all of them so they can turn around and immediately resell them for a 500% markup.

[@gucketjug]

Not only can you sell a physical copy, but you can often buy one for less than the digital version. Just for an example; Far Cry 6 is 69.99 on the playstation store, but my local shop has used copies for 7.99. That price difference is so huge, I don't know why anyone wouldn't at least look at discs!

[@russellmania5349]

I often wonder the same thing. I was wondering if digital fanboys only buy the latest games and don't care about old titles or are they just getting robbed blind because they don't know any better.

[@Apptend0]

If you buy a digital game at full price especially a Ubisoft game you would be pretty stupid because Ubisoft massively discounts their games all the time.

[@therant3837]

I have an excellent idea. For any digital game bought (that doesn't need to be played online or a server to play on)..... For all games bought on digital files Microsoft, Sony, and Nintendo can keep a cloud service for all games bought digitally. When the new system comes out be allowed to download those games again for free on the new system plus a small one time fee for the service and then presto! You'd have gamers coming out of the woodworks for a deal like that. For me I'd still be buying up newer games plus with my digital library I'd be one happy dude. There'd be no need for emulation, would there? That would bring loyalty to a whole new level when it comes to the customer base with these newer consoles. Who's with me on this?

[@markracer3281]

For me, I'm still living in a physical world when available... However, both physical and digital games all have their pros and cons. Thanks for the awesome video dude!!!

[@tonyp9313]

True

[@NintenPizza]

History has already been laid out. I much prefer old school physical media from the 80's & 90's. Back when cover art was a lot more imaginative, outlandish, fun, daring, when artists weren't afraid to get a little more ridiculous and riskay' back in the 80's and early 90's, instead of the run of the mill modern computerized stock CG art work we typically get these days. With Swich, I've gone all digital. Although, i occasionally double dip and buy the odd physical copy just to stash in my collection, IF i like the game enough and if it has great box art. Titles like > Batsugun, The Ninja Saviours, The Castlevania Anniversary Collection(BestBuy Variant with Dracula's Curse art work), Contra Anniversary Collection(Inverted Artwork from Tom duBois), Collection of Mana, Wild Guns reloaded etc Also, i don't know about you guys but i think PS5 & XSX game cases look awful. Flimsy squishy Blu-ray like cases, topped with a boring brand logo and a boring vanilla disc inside. That's IT!? If that's not a dead give away that physical is on it's way out than i don't what it is.

[@TheFakeBenWalker]

I was eating dinner and just got done when this was uploaded and went to the kitchen to get a brownie so I could keep going to watch this

[@rummyraisin]

I’m very much a physical collector of video games, as well as movies, music, and books. Helps me limit my internet use at home, which increasingly just reminds me of work. From an archives perspective, digital and physical preservation solutions are more powerful when combined. The tension between laymen preservationists and game companies can be productive--it can light a fire under laymen to do the (sometimes extra-legal) work, and can convince companies to start selling games again. A lot of games fall through the cracks though, in a way they wouldn't if there was more coordination on preservation...

[@cicabeot1]

In college I went almost all digital with my Wii U games for a while. I liked the convenience and didn't have a lot of space at the time. But I'm more inclined to go with physical nowadays.

[@erneststackhouse1133]

Being a Retro Gamer I too prefer a physical video game. I like Vanilla ice cream, but that doesn't mean I won't try chocolate either. As Retro Bird mentioned a digital copy is money spent for good. However, the upside is you usually get more games for your buck. A great new way to try a game you have not played yet, as we can no longer rent video games. I really do miss renting physical games, but now you can just watch other people play games that you are interested in. Not really the same, but hey, this digital version is rent free!

[@imKazahkstan]

The main reason I don't buy physical media? The last device I owned that had an optical drive was an Xbox 360. I used to understand the appeal of reselling physical games, but as I've grown older I find myself regretting, for example, selling that PS2 copy of Battlefront 2, trading my Gameboy Advance SP for a PSP, or selling my GameCube for like $30 in 2009. At the time, it made sense, but I just wish I still had those games and systems instead of having the cash. Plus, I purchased digital copies of Battlefront 2 later on in life, several times, so I ended up losing money by reselling it in the first place!

[@davidburke2453]

I always get a chuckle out of this mans humour. Keep up the great videos if you see this.

[@RetroBirdGaming]

Thank you David!

[@davidburke2453]

@@RetroBirdGaming You are welcome.

[@vintagecrazyjay4970]

I grew up in the 80's, so I'll choose physical every time as my main preference. For new games that come out on the Switch/Xbox, I'll download those for my kids so they can play them - they're not concerned with owning the physical copies or collecting the games in general, they just want to play a game. I love the nostalgia of owning games I purchased as a kid, seeing the box art, the physical owner's manual, all great memories for me. To each his own. Power to the Players!

[@TimDespairBear11]

for me I don’t really care either way but it’s about price. Im ok spending $60 (or 70) on a physical game but spending $70 on a freaking download kind of rubs me the wrong way. But cheap sales or shit like that? I’ll download any game.

[@melsgear]

This! 👍🏻

[@renofheavens2]

Hell yeah! $70 for a digital copy is crazy to me. But $5 for a digital when the physical is $50? You can bet your ass I'm getting the digital lol

[@TimDespairBear11]

@@renofheavens2 I know it’s unlikely I guess but what if your account gets hacked? You’d basically lose all your games as far as I’m aware. Nobody ever mentions that.

[@tonyp9313]

@@TimDespairBear11 That can happen. Natural disasters can occur if you have physical copies. Like a flood that destroyed my bro's Nes & games he had with it.

[@russellmania5349]

@@TimDespairBear11 I heard this happens to some people and sometimes they can recover your account, but it's still a hassle.

[@SirKingKrab]

I went the route of going digital from 2020 to early 2022 for the Switch and PS5. I jumped on digital because the pandemic was causing games to release way behind schedule and I ended up really liking getting games at midnight. But I really slowly missed just the act of getting a game in the mail or going to a store to pick it up, have that new game smell, and add it to my collection.

[@GammellNotCamel]

I honestly think it's kind of a moot argument. For anything pre-Xbox 360/PS3, physical is really your only option if you want to play on original hardware (unless you use an Everdrive) and for more modern stuff, like you mention, you still have to deal with day one updates and patches so that disc isn't even the real game. If you want to lend your game out to a friend or sell it when you're done, there's a conversation to be had but the whole idea that you own a physical copy therefore you own the game forever just isn't a thing anymore.

[@Palendrome]

The full experience of the box, opening up to the manual, the cart or disc, and that they all have artwork. It's a curated experience.

[@Housestationlive]

i noticed that pc games don't anymore exists in boxed version for a while, you have no other option than digital released. this forced form-factor will comes to consoles too soon or later.

[@matthiasdejonge9717]

1 other thing worth mentioning surrounding this is system storage space. This is why I prefer physical, since the only extra data for a game that you will have to keep on your system are patches and DLC. With digital games, you will need to dedicate space for both of that + the file size of the downloaded game. If you are a digital gamer, all the data combined will be a lot to store and you will definitely need an external hard drive/micro sd card for it in the long run. Physical games don't have this problem, although you could still argue that if you are an avid collector for it, you would still need that but for sure not one of a really large size.

[@valkiriforce]

For me it's a little bit of both - I really enjoy the authentic feeling I get from firing up any of my older games on the original consoles, but it's also nice to have digital copies of these games on the fly (like Switch and Steam ports).

[@breakfasthole]

All good points in the video. There's another very big factor that comes into owning physical games if you live in England or other PAL countries though... Imagine that you found out that your old consoles play games 17% slower than they were meant to be in your country. That's what consoles in PAL regions do (consoles before HD TVs). If this is you, there's three main choices: - Play and collect PAL games for a 17% slower console - Play and collect import NTSC games but you'll also need an import/ modified/ modern 'clone' console to play them at the correct speed - Play games using emulation I do a combo of all three things and also use flash cartridges but I would say emulation is the best method to play old games on modern TVs.

[@cd4playa1245]

0:28 nice!! Dude I hope you loved it. It felt fun and quick to pick up like a retro game to me. I know being a retro guy myself I shouldn’t obsess about graphics but this game looks jaw droppingily good on a 4k tv.

[@DylanMullins-r7u]

A digital copy is probably way better if you have brothers and sisters around then they won't scratch up your discs and lay there when you try to come home and play one of your favorite games and you tried popping it in you realize it's scratched digital is where you'll be able to keep it forever and no way it will get scratched her ruin as long as your console is still intact you'll be able to play it forever I know physical discs are really good and cool to have but sometimes they'll get ruined or scratched up pretty easy sometimes and it's hard to keep up with them

[@samnite3]

I buy whatever is the cheapest option (physical or digital). In 10-15 years these games will be playable via emulation or massively discounted anyway so saving money in the present to play them sooner seems to be the most practical consideration.

[@ag2023en]

00:02:58 When I think these gags can't any wilder, then comes stuff like this. 00:03:16 That sudden cut to a bump was timed perfectly.

[@NimhLabs]

So, for the stuff with digital, I will note that most consoles have modifications that allow you to continue running them after the various servers around them shut down. How well tuned and put together these mods are is--well it is a case by case basis. Some Dreamcast fans are running fan servers for the online stuff on that system. With a fair amount of Dreamcast stuff making use of Optical Disc Emulation. Mostly to reduce wear/tear on the laser and discs Playstation 3, and onward, I mostly avoid due to the lack of reasonable modifications that can be done. Heck, the modifications for the PS Vita are borderline at best for how effective/useful those would be Also remember: if you cannot buy it, it isn't piracy, as they aren't actually losing any money because getting money was never an option. Honestly, they could just set up a GoG type set up for older games with no DRM just "hey, pay us money, and do what you will with these ROMs while being reasonable"--and boom, the only ROMs that would get pirated are the ones that couldn't be sold on that GoG type deal due to licensing issues But yeah... digital works best for preservation--and on consoles that modification tools exist to reduce issues once the various servers/distribution services inevitably shut down

[@joshuaramey7375]

I think you hit all of the main points. I'm not against digital games at all, my only problem with it is ownership issues. I do prefer physical, but mostly only for cartridges. I expect CDs won't last forever but I still want to play on the original consoles using ODE's. I do collect CD games though. Cartridges will last much, much longer and if any piece happens to go bad it's all repairable. But I think for some consoles digital is basically a necessity. One of the things that really turned me off of the PS4 was that there were many cases where I bought a game and it was basically just a digital download code on a disk. As in, the entire game had to be downloaded from PSN before it could be played (no, not just an update!) and I really hated that because Sony throttles download speeds. I'm also really into visual novels and physical copies of those are always awesome because they usually come with a bunch of physical goodies like artbooks, music CDs, and other stuff like coasters, keychains, screen cleaners etc. It's really need to get stuff like that as a part of the game package.

[@GV-ij9ib]

Great video man, love tuning in to hear your lectures!

[@GV-ij9ib]

Also: Digital copies FTW 🙌 And piracy is encouraged when devs do that 'always online' crap.

[@Level1Sword]

I personally got turned off to digital when my phat PS3 broke and I replaced it with a slim model. I called Sony to help get my digital titles on the new console (since I was getting weird error messages stopping me from doing so on my own), and while they did help me transfer it all, I was bluntly informed this was a one time deal. If this PS3 were to ever break on me, I would have to re-buy all my digital games. It's physical for me, thanks.

[@gigaprime5799]

I’m glad how you talked about discs because I’ve seen people say they never break

[@aqua-technic]

I'm glad you bought up the whole patch requirement fiasco. It's the reason I don't collect physical for 7th gen onwards (with the exception of the Wii).

[@3dmarth]

Physical is preferable, at least for older games that are guaranteed to work without relying on servers for updates (or the other half of the game content). Regardless of the actual longevity, digital doesn't _feel_ like real ownership, and I'm not willing to pay nearly as much for digital games. However- and I've probably mentioned this before- digital games open up all kinds of new possibilities: - They don't have the limits of physical print runs, so they can stay available for decades without the supply running out. - The lower cost of distribution allows for extremely deep discounts during a sale, and even outright giveaways are commonplace these days. - DRM-free games, such as those on GOG, can be easily backed up, bypassing the lifespan of physical media. Just copy your collection to a fresh $100 hard drive every however many years. Or even upload a few of your favourite titles to the cloud!

[@TheGunmanChannel]

Legend has it Retro Bird prefers physical bananas over digital ones 🍌

[@MasonH9612]

The new F-Zero game looks amazing, so immersive and realistic! 3:16

[@alex64gaming]

Better than PS4 VR! Lol

[@mattb6522]

And a lot more painful! 😅

[@3dmarth]

The graphics are great, but I'm not so sure about the guy they chose to play Captain Falcon. ;)

[@ikee5687]

Hands down physical... but with backups. I love having a physical copy of my games. You hit it perfect with your first point, I have a sense of ownership with physical games over digital. However with most games I have a digital backup for them with either ever drives, or emulation if for some reason tragedy falls upon my collection. On a side note, I'm done collecting consoles that don't allow physical media, which is coming down the pipeline quick (looking at you Microsoft). At that point switching to PC for current gen games.

[@dapperfan44]

Thanks so much for not spreading around the false idea that a disc is just a download key! This has been an issue where people conflate downloads with installs.

[@Emceemur]

Hear me out. 6:08. Storage in the floor with a hard, transparent plastic floor. That’s got to be a thing somewhere, right? Can I have that done?

[@SUB1KOIRA]

I've had my share of the fun, having a big collection of physical games in my shelf to look at from time to time. I collected games for around 25+ years until very recently I decided It was time to sell my collection and go 100% digital from now on. There were multiple reasons for this, the fact that the times I actually picked any of them out of the shelf got more and more rare each year, and also the favt that my young son didn't seem to pay any attention to the physical packaging of the games rather to just play them. That made me think about it, why would I force that habit on him since there's no reason to. Oddly enough I've been playing way more nowadays that I'm all digital, and only the games I truly like. Still, I admire Retro Birds love for his physical collection and I think as long as you truly enjoy collecting, do it! :)

[@m3llytan]

"called up and given a semi confrontational reminder that your game needs be brought back" triggered my Hollywood video ptsd 😂

[@RetroBirdGaming]

Those were the days :)

[@neosquid9609]

Dude, you are a fucking genius. I cannot remember the last time a channel was this funny in a single video.

[@RetroBirdGaming]

Thanks!

[@chopinhoven]

sometimes i watch Retro Bird videos just for laugh 😅

[@charliehustle2591]

Really love all your content!

[@LanieG1]

I have lost digital games 3 times so far. Once transferring wii games to my wii u, again when my wii died, and when my x-box 360 got the red ring of death and my replacement system used a different hard drive. Fortunately, all my 360 had was demos so I didn't lose anything important. The games I bought for the wii though, first time was the game was removed from the shop so couldn't download it again, second time the shop was shut down. Do still buy some digital games, but keep an eye out for physical copies to replace them.

[@tonyp9313]

The 360 & Wii U era. I never bought digital in that era simply because you couldn't delete games of your console & I don't think there was a virtual library to go & redownload your games. PS4 games has a library. When you delete a digital game off your PS4 console it's saved in your library tied to your account.

[@cloudy_samurai4607]

I like both: digital for convenience and discs for a collection purpose. Although, due to certain circumstances, I tend to buy in digital stores more nowadays. If game catches my eye and I really love it, I try to buy a physical copy of the game just to expand my physical games collection. Also, there are always a possibilities that digital stores will close and users lose access to their games (yeah, that’s a nightmare and almost impossible scenario, but still), so physical all the way.

[@ulfricstormcloak7142]

If they're available to pirate, you can always pirate the game you bought since you already paid for them

[@ShinSynZero]

Good stuff, I generally prefer physical copies of my games especially for retro gaming. It's all about the ownership, though seeing bookshelves filled with games is really nice too. Digital has its place though, say for sealed collectors, if a game may have become to expensive to purchase (Crusader of Centy, Radiant Silvergun, and etc), or a much improved version is available digitally. The Sega Ages collection on the Switch is a great example of the last reason imo. The series produced the definitive version of Virtua Racing and arguably Phantasy Star with its awesome quality of life improvements. I'll continue to lean heavy into physical games but I won't write of digital ones.

[@LilZeusWrld]

Something about you just be making me laugh 🤣 new sub

[@MetalJody1990]

You make some great points, RB. Both are cool. Mostly I prefer digital on PC because everything can be backed up to various storage media. This is really convenient for retro games because of how small they are. You can store tons of retro games on flash drives and store them at different locations (parent's house, friend's house, in a sealed box under the soil in your backyard, etc), just in case your house gets destroyed by fire or some natural disaster. Many of these games can be enjoyed on your phone until you can get another home and PC for the heavier games. Obviously, an all digital collection pales visually in comparison to a physical collection, but to me, knowing that all the games I care about are backed up is just better. Personally, their availability is more important than their cases, box art, instruction manuals, smells, etc. I can't really think of any reason for me to own physical copies of retro games. Modern games are different. I have a few physical copies for PS4, PS5, and Switch. I worry about the digital ones.

[@cd5sircoupe]

Man, Twin Snakes... I FINALLY found a copy in the wild at a local retro game store a few years ago and paid a decent amount for it. Except both discs had excessive cracking of the labels. I made the clerk demo the game so I could verify I wasn't getting a dud. It still worked, but that is literally the only GC game I've seen that happen to. And looking it up after the fact, it's actually quite common for this title.

[@RetroBirdGaming]

Yep, it's a known issue for that particular game. Not every single copy of the game has it... but quite a few do.

[@cd5sircoupe]

@@RetroBirdGaming Yep, all things I'm quite aware of. Still, I had never seen anything like that at the time aside from maybe putting a CD in the microwave as a teen.

[@DanSutherland]

Physically is definitely the go to since if you own physical copies then you can also have digital copies via backups. And then you can go further and move backups onto storage media for another "physical" copy. With most digital options attempting that would require some serious hacking and effort. Buying games digitally is pretty rarely the ideal option, I can't even think through a scenario where it's not as a compromise. Although sometimes I do find its the best option because of having to compromise based on price, availability, or life situations.

[@MrGameAndDvD]

As somebody who collects physical games the only time I download digital games is when it’s for the new call of duty game or I get a really good deal on Xbox. Sometimes there are these like gold member discounts and I can’t argue two dollars for the halo master chief collection.

[@RicardoRandom691]

I enjoy collecting physical games (when affordable) but for me the real divide is DRM vs. no DRM. I don't care if a game is digital-ony so long as I can easily back it up and ensure I'll never lose access to it.

[@pineappleroad]

With PC games on steam, its less a case of if the game has DRM, but more how strict the DRM is Standard Steam DRM will pretty much always allow the game to run if it sees you have a licence for that game in your account

[@LordsOfSkulls]

I been double dipping, cause certain games i got Brand New... or never got around to opening worth too much to open.... so i just gotten digital on sale for like $5-$20. Keeping Sealed Copy worth $100+ closed. Another reason i buy a game, is cause i enjoy it so much want to always have access to it. That way it frees up port for Physical Copy of another game.

[@davidgill7412]

One thing that wasn't mentioned: hacked systems. Thanks to this I can still enjoy P.T. and not pay a arm and a leg for used PS4's with a copy on it. It also helps with preservation and you can back up your physical copies to hard drives.

[@apr2499]

Your video brings up good points about digital games. It’s also a reason to jailbreak your Devices….so you can backup those digital games so that You still own them after the servers go down!

[@Ty-douken]

I've gone back & forth on a preference as moving with a large collection can be a lot of work, but I generally prefer physical when it's an option. I find that digital games just disappear into the ether for me, meaning I more easily forget to play the m or come back to them. That said I will sometimes pickup games digitally still if I know it'll primarily be a coop or multiplayer game, that way I can have a disc for my current Singleplayer game in the console & play digital easily when friend want to have some online fun. I do still get Nintendo games physically as I find they require a day one patch less often & I find their carts cuter than discs.

[@mrjotz]

If you ever sell merch, you should absolutely include a "Get on My Lawn" hat or shirt.

[@Throbingkcoc]

Physical for me but I'm a retro collector who likes seeing the fruits of my labor. I get that it may be easier and more convenient to go all digital if you just like playing certain games or newer games.

[@marccaselle8108]

The only physical games I have are my intellivision for obvious reasons and Nintendo DS games.

[@dylangirard4670]

I have maybe 120 physical switch games. But since getting a steam deck I am constantly at odds with myself now lol.

[@alyx4436]

Just ordered one lol TBH i had one before for about a week when they were expensive so i sold it. I had a Q2 preorder, Loved the thing but I could to with the free £400 at the time. Glad to have another one on the way!

[@dylangirard4670]

@@alyx4436 it is a pretty amazing device. My steam library has doubled in size since getting one. Valve is doing something right.

[@MountainHomeJerrel]

Awesome. I always enjoy your videos. Rock on, man!

[@gamernaut8864]

Outstanding video Retro Bird. Top notch writing and editing. Thanks for the great work. I will support physical over digital as long as I can, but it does seems like the digital takeover is already underway. Some physical copies only have around 100mb of data on the disc with the rest waiting for you on a server. That's undercover digital espionage for sure.

[@RetroBirdGaming]

Thank you!

[@Marc_Araujo]

Here's an idea for a future video: "The Risks/Hardships of Owning MGS: The Twin Snakes and How to Properly Care for It."

[@joshalan5125]

Both have their pros and cons so I tend to play both sides of the coin. I personally like having the physical copy for collective purposes but I also enjoy the convenience of having a digital copy ready to go, especially for the Switch. A lot of it also comes down to pricing at the time. If I see a used copy of a game that I want for $25 but notice that the digital version is on sale for $7.49, I'm going to purchase the digital (and vice versa). I generally buy a lot of cheaper and indie games digitally but when it comes down to full priced $60+ titles, I like having the physical. Also like you said, if I dont like the game or beat it early, I can at least sell the physical game and get some of my money back.

[@tonyp9313]

Both have their pros & cons. I go digital now for PS4. I do own physical games but not a lot for each console. I bought then just in case my sd card with roms on the ever drive fails so I have back up.

[@frostyfrog3572]

Mr retro bird you forgot about digital only physical games that have game codes in game cases

[@princessnodak]

I agree that modern physical games are just place holders for place holders sake, but it's funner to display the cases than just having the game on a hard drive

[@Danny-xm1pe]

I've come to a compromise: For modern games since the last gen, I go with digital because the benefits of physical media with modern games are just sadly not as strong as they were with older games (no manuals, flimsy cases, games needing downloads anyway, some games not even getting physical releases, etc.) and the conveniences of digital with modern games is pretty strong. But to satisfy my love of physical media, I collect physical media for retro games which has far better physical media than modern games since publishers actually put effort into physical media back then, so it is more enjoyable to collect. This is my way of feeling like I get the best of both worlds.

[@Dav3Campb3ll]

Our video game VHS store rental guy used to show up at your house if you were late 😂 big long old beast of a car

[@Forrealsyall]

With anything that’s earlier than the 8th console generation it’s physical all the day. But with modern consoles it depends. I live in the middle of nowhere and I don’t wanna pay shipping and wait like a week for every physical game. But I will buy a physical release if it’s a game I really care about. Though for the Switch I absolutely prefer digital. It’s a lot more convinient when on the go. I own maybe 30 Switch games and only 5 of them are physical. As long as I take care of my console I’ll always have those games

[@Qbin07]

I am bananas about physical games. I literally just bought a Streets of Rage 4 because I found a physical copy (also because it was half off it's already clearance pricing). I love the Streets of Rage franchise but it wasn't really on my radar until I found a good deal, but the physical is the extra cherry on top. I'm so crazy about them, I bought Shredder's Revenge on digital to play day 1. I still ordered from Limited Run and it comes tomorrow where I will Cloud my save, delete the digital version, and install the physical. I'm gonna purchase another copy just to have one in plastic. But I do roam for deals on the PS Store. Some times there's great deals on there you just can't walk away from. Also some times I get a digital because that's all there is for a company to release a physical later and I'm like, WTH. I would've bought physical copies of Scott Pilgrim and The Contra Collection if I knew their release was imminent. That's why I'm holding out from buying Sonic Origins. The physical version has to be dropping at some point

[@BlankSpacePub]

If I’m just looking to throw a game on, I don’t necessarily have a preference for physical versus digital, but I do find that some games that require more precise inputting are much better to play with the original physical media. (For example, fighting games.) However, there’s no denying the benefits of being able to resell physical games, particularly at a profit when 20 years go by and they become collectors items.

[@imnotayoutuber8494]

It's just like physical vs emulation. To me my digital copies I love because I can always transfer them and as long as emulators are around.. I'll always love my digital copy over my physical. Especially since some games cost so much for retro games

[@crash5522]

I have no problem with digital copies, I have loads of them. However there is something that just feels right in pulling a game off your shelf and popping it into your console. Love original hardware and playing games that way.

[@scottlentfert1827]

Personally I will always prefer physical Games on Console and Digital on PC, the feeling of owning a shelf dedicated to my favorite format makes it feel like i am accomplishing a dream, and for digital pc games it's great to have a selection of online titles that you can play with friends on the same platform as discord, etc. And a faster method of switching over to other titles :)

[@Devenish]

Physical for 6th generation an back for their static nature. But for modern internet connected systems, we don't truly have ownership and control over the system and the games which often are just glorified digital keys. Only a matter of time systems don't have a physical option. So for everything else, I've gone digital on PC where I generally have more control and at least some backwards compatibility.

[@gentlesirpancakebottoms6692]

I love the idea of digital video games. The "Idea", not the practise. Digital games should in theory have much longer longevity than physical games but alas I fear that my physical discs though they will decay one day, they will last longer than many of my digitally bought games. Thats why I have backed up all my physical console games as ISO's. And backed up most of my digital Steam/GOG library with copies of the games found on the high seas;) I think both Valve and GOG does a great job. Escpecially GOG for going DRM free, and making so many ancient games playable on modern systems or at least available for purchase. The downside with digital games is not the services themselves, but the publishers and rights holders, escpecially AAA publishers. I simply don't trust them anymore.

[@luliby2309]

You know...I was just thinking that it would be nice to see some more modern game gameplay from you, or at least a slight mix-up in what games you feature with gameplay. I like having physical copies of anything I really enjoy, though I do agree that it is best to use physical and digital means to give us the most accessibility and preservation.

[@sanjithechef]

A weird way I look at it is - if I can afford a physical version of a game that has sentimental value / is a no brainer all time great, then I’ll try to buy it. But if it’s $200 for a game that I can get for a fraction of the price digitally, then I’ll just get some Etsy fan art or a figure of the game characters if I end up loving it. One way or another you can still showcase your fandom but in a way that doesn’t have to unreasonably break the bank. Who knows - maybe the developers are still putting out merch that is way more affordable that buying the actual game.

[@rotallyPumpered]

My approach for the last few years has generally been to buy physical copies of single-player story-based games, and digital for anything like a live service, which are pretty much screwed as soon as the servers go down anyway. I'm definitely not upset that I chose digital when I bought Overwatch. Now, with the Steam Deck in my life, it's a little more of a grey area. I've got physical copies of every Yakuza game so far, but they're games that I find massively more appealing with the ability to on a hybrid system. I can chip away at side-content on the handheld and hook it up to my TV for the big story moments. I think I'd still be buying the PS5 versions of the upcoming games, but I've developed a trust in Steam. I'm still able to download the copy of Half-Life 2 I bought nearly 20 years ago, and I don't see that changing anytime soon. It's inevitable that the service can't last forever, but at that point, I might as well be thinking of future generations. Do I really care if people in 2085 can play my copy of Like A Dragon: Ishin?

[@ドリフト180X]

I prefer physical for console, but things like emulation and rom sites are important because one day that console or cartridge or disc will stop working. When that happens digital will be the only way to play. So for long term preservation digital is important. With PC you can copy paste as many copies of your game as you want, and store them on as many drives as you want. So definitely digital for PC. So both.

[@midnightisnice]

Imaginary memories vs real memories. Like remembering a dream. It didn’t happen, but it did

[@Supersmallchibiwolf]

I personally love physical copies of games so I can see the wonderful box art and game manuals. I like some digital only games but only because they launched digitally like Sonic Mania. Cool video. ^_^

[@leeartlee915]

I’ve engaged in this conversation so many times I just don’t have it in me. What I will say is that zealot physical collectors have really turned me away from that practice. A lot of physical collectors act like they are doing God’s work having a shelf of games. You know what is really gonna preserve games? Online repositories.

[@RetroBirdGaming]

Your last sentence makes me think you'll like one of my final points in the video :)

[@leeartlee915]

@@RetroBirdGaming Haha, you called it. I wrote that before finishing the video ;-)

[@MrMenace76]

On pc I mostly own digital from 2010 forward. On consoles mostly physical. How ever I have bought a few games digital (that I already own physical) because I play those a lot and can play them quickly.

[@tattoodrdoke]

Reason I got a series x was I has a decent catalogue of 360 games. I can also use the game for emulation at a later date when the 360 emulator improves.

[@sagepirotess6312]

As for holding a digital game, you can do that now... you can take a 3d printer and make a game box with your own cover art. Then put on a shelf. Super Derek rpg guy does it.

[@mattpoulin789]

Did you know that if you own both the digital & the physical version of game on the Nintendo Switch you can convert your digital copy to the physical only copy by deleting the digital version and inserting the physical copy and installing it through the physical copy then you can also add the digital dlc content to the physical copy by starting to download the digital version through the e-shop through the options page for the app on the Home Screen under Software Information after installing the physical copy but before the digital version fully completes installing archive it through the Manage Software page in the options page for the app on the Home Screen and then update it through the Software Update page also through the options page on the Home Screen as it will then update as if you are updating from the cartridge version but it will also add all updates and dlc purchased for the game p.s. you will still have the digital version of the game in your purchase history on the Nintendo eshop it would just act like the physical copy on your switch until you fully download the digital version again that is another way to save space on your switch if you have both the digital version & physical version

[@brichan1851]

Physical all the way. Super Mario 3D All-Stars and Stranger Things Season 3: The Game taught me that lesson.

[@FTChomp9980]

*Looks at my Physical games library* Yeah I'll stick with my Physical games!

[@JDGamez15]

I will ALWAYS prefer physical over digital copies. A big part of being a collector is seeing your owned physical collection in your home. I've been collecting a lot since 2020 and yeah, I probably started late on it as that's when prices started to skyrocket but... as far as sale prices go... digital wins on that front cause the stores hardly puts the games on sales and even when they do, the price drops aren't so big. You could get up to $30 - $50 off in stores, a little more on holidays, but in digital stores you can get up to 95% off the regular price on select titles.

[@FluffyBrik]

Watching this as digital version of a game I'd like on PS5 is over 50%cheaper than the physical. Typically I buy the physical copy, but with seeming digital support from ps4 to ps5, saving 30 bucks may be worth the digital copy and expected support when a new console comes out? What're your thoughts! Sale ends in a week

[@thedariusone]

Lol you crackin me up rn man. I struggle with this debate on the daily XD