Retail or online, do you care?

eye_m

The costs to sell videogames is horrendous, and any retail merchant is crazy to support videogame sales with the current distribution policy. The retailer is being forced out of the market. It is going to end up that you don't go to the store to buy your videogames, you only ever purchase it online.  This isn't much of a problem for some, but it is a problem for others. Especially with the Christmas season upon us, grandma won't be buying that videogame for Johnny, if she has to find out how to purchase it online first.

 

I'm curious as to what people think about not having the option to buy a videogame in a retail store.

Trudge34

I prefer having a hard copy of it, but have bought digital versions of software before. I feel a bit more comfortable with a service like Steam where if something were to happen to my hard drive, I know I'll be able to get the application again and redownload the game. I do like having the disc and case though because there's something tangible to show for my money as well. Plus if I get spending too much, I can look at my shelf, maybe feel a little remorse, and cut back my spending a bit.

muffins89

your idea about old people not being able to figure out a computer is pretty prejudice.  buying things online isn't really new or all that difficult.

 

i voted - like to have the option. 

Vunak23

I like to buy from STEAM  and  Amazon; depending on the game. If its a game I am super serious about I usually buy the boxed collectors off of Amazon. If not then STEAM for the digital DL. If neither of them have it, who ever is cheapest. 

ThumbtackJ

I don't care personally. Steam, Origin, Gamersgate, Greenmangaming, Getgamesgo, Impulesdriven (Gamestop App now), or brick and mortar store. I'll just buy from whatever is cheaper normally. 

 

Also, as far as PC gaming goes (from what I've seen anyways), few brick and mortar stores sell PC games anymore. Gamestop went digital (they bought out imuplse driven) and their PC section is a very tiny shelf with a few major titles (Blizzard games mostly), and the same goes for Walmart.

Karteli

I'd prefer to have a physical copy, although I have bought stuff digitally before.

 

It's so much easier to reinstall a game (for whatever reason) if you have the disk(s), and then run a patch to do the rest.  It can easiely turn a 4 hour download into something that only takes 20 minutes to install from disc(s) and 40 minutes to patch (as with an MMO).  Less if the game is small, and much less time required if the game a single player with no patching required.

 

Collecting game boxes can be a hobby as well.  Pulling them out many years later and reading the box / inside flap / instruction manual can be stroll down memory lane..

eye_m

Originally posted by muffins89

your idea about old people not being able to figure out a computer is pretty prejudice.  buying things online isn't really new or all that difficult.

 

i voted - like to have the option. 

your assumption that me referring to granny as being old is kind of prejudice, and probably more insulting to granny than me saying she might not want to buy things online. You can feasibly be a grandma in your thirties. You can be nervous about using your credit card online at any age.

Quirhid

No one in my family would want games as gifts. And I'd like to buy my own games. Digital download preferably.

Jaedor

I voted to prefer having options. But really, I don't pay much attention to it unless something goes wrong and I have to reinstall. Then, having disks is a pretty huge time saver. Otherwise, I could go either way.

muffins89

Originally posted by eyelolled

Originally posted by muffins89

your idea about old people not being able to figure out a computer is pretty prejudice.  buying things online isn't really new or all that difficult.

 

i voted - like to have the option. 

your assumption that me referring to granny as being old is kind of prejudice, and probably more insulting to granny than me saying she might not want to buy things online. You can feasibly be a grandma in your thirties. You can be nervous about using your credit card online at any age.

whatever man - you think old people don't know how to work a computer.  no need trying to explain yourself.  i get it.

nariusseldon

Originally posted by Quirhid
No one in my family would want games as gifts. And I'd like to buy my own games. Digital download preferably.

Or we prefer to give ear-marked money. My teenage son is more than capable to do his own online purchase if there is money in his paypal acct.

Banquetto

Personally I greatly prefer to buy online, and haven't bought a physical box for quite a few years now.

But it's a good point that this move hurts gift-giving. Leaving aside the derailment about granny and the computer, it's not very festive to gift something on Steam rather than putting a gift under the tree.

Karahandras

Originally posted by Karteli

I'd prefer to have a physical copy, although I have bought stuff digitally before.

 

It's so much easier to reinstall a game (for whatever reason) if you have the disk(s), and then run a patch to do the rest.  It can easiely turn a 4 hour download into something that only takes 20 minutes to install from disc(s) and 40 minutes to patch (as with an MMO).  Less if the game is small, and much less time required if the game a single player with no patching required.

 

Collecting game boxes can be a hobby as well.  Pulling them out many years later and reading the box / inside flap / instruction manual can be stroll down memory lane..

Lizardone

it's good to have it as an option; if it's an Elder Scrolls game, it must be hard copy though

Silok

Originally posted by muffins89

Originally posted by eyelolled

Originally posted by muffins89

your idea about old people not being able to figure out a computer is pretty prejudice.  buying things online isn't really new or all that difficult.

 

i voted - like to have the option. 

your assumption that me referring to granny as being old is kind of prejudice, and probably more insulting to granny than me saying she might not want to buy things online. You can feasibly be a grandma in your thirties. You can be nervous about using your credit card online at any age.

whatever man - you think old people don't know how to work a computer.  no need trying to explain yourself.  i get it.

This has nothing to do about old people who cant use computer but the fact that older generations dont like putting there cc number online or just dont trust the services and this is a fact. There is no prejudice there..

My mom 58 years old and she is a secretary so she use pc all day but dont try to make her purchase something online, she wont do it.

I think you are the one who misjudge the OP here.

To the Op i vote i like to have the options but i do not care much.

Torgrim

I used to love to buy in retail due to I got the box and good ol fat manual inside the box.

Now days, why bother you get a manual the size of a tea leaf that says nothing so yes I buy online.

eye_m

Originally posted by Silok

Originally posted by muffins89

Originally posted by eyelolled

Originally posted by muffins89

your idea about old people not being able to figure out a computer is pretty prejudice.  buying things online isn't really new or all that difficult.

 

i voted - like to have the option. 

your assumption that me referring to granny as being old is kind of prejudice, and probably more insulting to granny than me saying she might not want to buy things online. You can feasibly be a grandma in your thirties. You can be nervous about using your credit card online at any age.

whatever man - you think old people don't know how to work a computer.  no need trying to explain yourself.  i get it.

This has nothing to do about old people who cant use computer but the fact that older generations dont like putting there cc number online or just dont trust the services and this is a fact. There is no prejudice there..

My mom 58 years old and she is a secretary so she use pc all day but dont try to make her purchase something online, she wont do it.

I think you are the one who misjudge the OP here.

To the Op i vote i like to have the options but i do not care much.

My mom has a computer but refuses to get the internet, and my dad flat out refuses to deal with one at all (I have got him to text on his phone a couple times though)  I'll have to let them know that they aren't living up to their potential according to muffins.  lol

Seriously though, you're right Silok, it has nothing to do with old people not being able to use a computer,  but rather that they are more careful with how they handle some things.   I for one, think they are smarter for it.

phantomghost

I voted I like to have it as an option.

 

I actually prefer 100% online myself.  However, when I was younger playing EQ, I always preferred retail as I did not have a debit/credit card or paypal to buy the expansions.

WhiteLantern

I only buy from brick-and-mortar stores if there is a sale or a clearance game I want. Otherwise, it's Amazon all the way for me.

Unknown

I'm mostly a PC gamer, and I was a little hesitant at first to try the online distribution stuff (because I'm a total technophobe). Now that I have, I've never looked back. I can't even tell you the last time I walked into a physical store to buy a game. No lines, no waiting, no out of stock games. If there were any small businesses in the area, mom-and-pop type stores that sold games I'd probably spend my money there. I always like to support local business. But all I have in my town are Gamestops and Walmarts, and I don't really care that they don't get my business.

eye_m

Originally posted by Sawtooth
I'm mostly a PC gamer, and I was a little hesitant at first to try the online distribution stuff (because I'm a total technophobe). Now that I have, I've never looked back. I can't even tell you the last time I walked into a physical store to buy a game. No lines, no waiting, no out of stock games. If there were any small businesses in the area, mom-and-pop type stores that sold games I'd probably spend my money there. I always like to support local business. But all I have in my town are Gamestops and Walmarts, and I don't really care that they don't get my business.

it's doubtful that you would find any mom-and-pop style stores that would sell games anymore. They have a chance at less than 10% markup minus shipping costs  minus whatever they lose on remaining stock once the game suddenly drops to half or less it's value.  

Phry

In the UK at least, game shops only sell console games, havent bought a game from one now for several years,  the only way to buy a physical copy is from an online retailer like amazon etc. although personally i prefer the digital option of Steam, although im not averse to buying a game directly via digital download from the games website. I think its inevitable that physical disks are going to be phased out anyway, its old tech and a terrible way to distribute games, its also more 'eco friendly' to go the digital route, no deforestation from packaging etc. 

Kabaal

Originally posted by Phry
In the UK at least, game shops only sell console games, havent bought a game from one now for several years,  the only way to buy a physical copy is from an online retailer like amazon etc. although personally i prefer the digital option of Steam, although im not averse to buying a game directly via digital download from the games website. I think its inevitable that physical disks are going to be phased out anyway, its old tech and a terrible way to distribute games, its also more 'eco friendly' to go the digital route, no deforestation from packaging etc. 

Gamestation still sell PC games, albeit a much smaller section than it used to be.

I hardly ever buy a physical copy anymore, broadband speed and storage being cheap really doesn't give me much reason to.

Castillle

Last pc game i bought retail was dungeons last year.

I would prefer having een a lil box with the manual and those booklet thingies though... Heck I would order them online if i had extra money and had a permanent home!

KenFisher

One thing I like about retail game sales is the bargain bin.  Stuff I'd have never paid full price for, marked down to $5.00 on clearance.

Draron

If it's on Steam, I'll get it there before going retail. I'd take Steam linked games over anything but physical Collector Editions and stuff.