Physical vs. Digital Games: Which is Cheaper in the Long Run?
The burning question for gamers: Is it cheaper to buy physical games or digital games? The answer, as with many things in the gaming world, is a resounding “it depends.” While digital games often launch at the same price as their physical counterparts, the long-term financial implications can differ significantly. Generally, physical games tend to become cheaper faster than digital versions. This is particularly true if you’re patient and willing to buy used games or wait for sales. However, digital games offer convenience and can be cheaper in the long run if you focus on digital sales and subscription services. Let’s delve into the nuances of each format to help you make the best decision for your wallet.
The Price Point Face-Off: Physical vs. Digital
Initial Cost: A Level Playing Field?
At launch, you’ll typically find that both physical and digital versions of a game cost roughly the same. Publishers set the price, and they aim for parity to avoid upsetting retailers who stock physical copies. This means you won’t immediately save money by choosing one format over the other. It’s important to note that both formats deliver the same gaming experience and interface.
The Downward Spiral: Price Drops and Resale Value
This is where physical games often take the lead. After a few months, physical games tend to drop in price faster than digital games. Retailers, wanting to clear shelf space for newer titles, will often mark down older games. This means you can snag a relatively recent game at a significantly reduced price if you’re patient. The used game market further amplifies this trend. You can buy used physical copies from retailers like GameStop or from other players, often at a fraction of the original cost.
Digital games, on the other hand, tend to hold their price for longer. This is because publishers control the price on digital stores and are less likely to slash prices drastically. While digital sales do occur, they are often less frequent and less dramatic than the price drops you’ll see for physical games. Also, there is no resale value for a digital game.
Contractual Agreements: The Silent Price Fixer
A key reason for the price difference lies in contractual agreements between publishers and retailers. Retailers like Walmart don’t want publishers undercutting them with cheaper digital versions. If they are selling the physical copy for $59.99, a $49.99 digital download will directly impact their sales. These agreements, while not always explicit, contribute to the slower price decline of digital games.
The Digital Advantage: Convenience and Sales
Convenience is King
Digital games offer unparalleled convenience. You can purchase and download games from the comfort of your home, without needing to visit a store. They also can’t be lost or damaged like a physical disc. The convenience of having your entire game library accessible at any time is a major selling point for many gamers.
Digital Sales: The Key to Savings
While digital games may not drop in price as quickly as physical games, digital stores like PlayStation Store, Xbox Store, and Steam offer frequent sales. These sales can provide significant discounts on a wide range of games. If you’re willing to wait for these sales, you can often find digital games at prices comparable to, or even lower than, physical copies. These sales events tend to be seasonal such as winter, spring, summer and fall.
Subscription Services: A Game Changer
Subscription services like PlayStation Plus Extra/Premium, Xbox Game Pass, and EA Play can drastically alter the cost equation. These services offer access to a library of games for a monthly fee. If you play a variety of games and are not particularly attached to owning them permanently, these subscriptions can be incredibly cost-effective. You can find many games that would otherwise cost you money to own and play.
Ownership and Long-Term Value
The Ownership Debate
One of the most significant differences between physical and digital games is the concept of ownership. When you buy a physical game, you own the disc or cartridge. You can lend it to friends, resell it, or keep it as a collector’s item. This is a critical distinction.
With digital games, you are essentially purchasing a license to play the game, not the game itself. This license is tied to your account, and you cannot typically resell or lend the game to others. Also, if you are ever banned from your account, you can lose all the games you have downloaded.
The Risk of Digital Delisting
Another factor to consider is the risk of digital delisting. Games can be removed from digital stores for various reasons, such as licensing issues or developer closures. If a game you’ve purchased digitally is delisted, you may lose the ability to download and play it, even if you’ve already paid for it. The Games Learning Society explores the legal and ethical ramifications of these trends. Visit GamesLearningSociety.org to find out more. Physical copies are immune to this fate; you will always be able to play them as long as your console is working.
Space Considerations
Physical copies require physical storage space, which may be a concern for some gamers. While digital games don’t take up physical space, they require storage space on your console or PC’s hard drive. Modern games can be quite large, so you may need to invest in additional storage if you primarily buy digital games. Both physical and digital games install on the hard drive.
The Verdict: Choose What’s Right for You
Ultimately, the choice between physical and digital games depends on your individual preferences and gaming habits. If you prioritize the lowest possible price and don’t mind waiting for deals or buying used games, physical copies are likely the more cost-effective option. If you value convenience and are willing to wait for digital sales or subscribe to gaming services, digital games can be a great value.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Are PS5 digital games cheaper than physical?
Generally, no. PS5 digital games launch at the same price as physical copies. However, second-hand physical copies often become cheaper than digital downloads, especially a few months after release.
2. Why are digital games as expensive as physical?
Contractual agreements between publishers and retailers are a major factor. Publishers don’t want to undercut retailers who stock physical copies, so they keep digital prices relatively high.
3. Do more people buy physical or digital games?
Digital game sales have exploded in recent years. A large percentage of gamers prefer digital. The Entertainment Retail Association (ERA) estimates that around 90% of games sold are digital downloads.
4. Why are physical PS5 games cheaper?
Retailers have more flexibility to lower prices to clear inventory. They paid for the copies upfront and prefer to sell them at a reduced price rather than not selling them at all.
5. Do digital games cost less?
Not initially. Physical and digital games usually release at the same price. However, physical games typically reduce in price much quicker than their digital counterparts.
6. Is it better to buy digital or disc PS5?
It depends on your preferences. If you don’t mind forgoing physical games and want to save $100 on the console itself, the PS5 Digital Edition is a good choice. If you want the flexibility of buying, selling, and trading physical games, the standard PS5 with a disc drive is better.
7. Do physical copies of games take up less space?
No. Whether you buy a disc or download a game, it will still install on your console’s hard drive and take up the same amount of space. The disc simply provides the game data for installation.
8. Is digital the future of gaming?
Yes, the gaming industry is moving towards an all-digital future. Digital delivery offers convenience and accessibility that physical media cannot match.
9. Why are digital games $70?
Publishers can charge $70 because they know people will pay it. They are trying to capture more market value in a competitive industry.
10. Do digital games ever sell out?
No. Because they exist as digital files, digital games can never sell out. You can always purchase and download them as long as they are available on the digital store.
11. Do you actually own digital games?
Technically, no. When you buy a digital game, you are purchasing a license to play it, not the game itself. This license is tied to your account.
12. Are digital games permanent?
Typically, yes. As long as you have access to the account on which you purchased the game, you should have permanent access to it. However, games can be delisted from digital stores, which can affect your ability to re-download them.
13. What is the cheapest way to play games?
Some cheap ways include taking advantage of Steam sales, using subscription services, or playing old school games using emulators. There are plenty of free games available that gamers can enjoy without spending a fortune.
14. Do PS5 discs download faster than digital?
Installing from a disc can often be faster than downloading a digital game, especially if you have a slow internet connection. You’ll still need to download updates and patches, but the initial installation will be quicker.
15. Why should you buy physical games?
If you buy a physical copy you own that game, it’s yours for life. You can resell the game if you wish. With digital, you’d actually have to give up your account if you want to completely sell your digital content.
Hopefully, this article and the FAQs give you all you need to make an informed decision! Happy gaming!