Loss Of Digital Games On PlayStation Is Why I Never Trust These Licenses

Hanzala from eXputer says, "PlayStation's recent bug is a critical reminder of just how uncertain digital games are, and why physical media and ownership are crucial."

[thorstein]

And now that discs can hold an entire library of games there's no need for digital licenses.

[Cacabunga]

Physical is where it’s at!!
Same reason paying with cash is my preferred option..

[kenpachi]

I always go physical unless it's something that will never get released on disc like some small indie game that will never get a physical release.

[TheEnigma313]

Always go physical when you can. Let this be a lesson. Digital is more convenient but has serious cons.

[DarXyde]

Mostly agree, though digital is not in itself inferior.

The issue from what I gather is that prices are the same and you only license those games. The pro consumer approach would be to either "sell"you games cheaper OR, preferably, give you the ability to do whatever you want with the digital copy you have. If I want to burn a game I bought from a USB drive to a blank Blu-Ray to generate a physical copy, I should be able to do that. If they have to develop some proprietary tech to enable one burn to prevent or mitigate piracy, fair enough.

But that's the issue people generally have with digital: they're moving toward digitizing everything without doing anything to address digital rights. The way it is now, we would pay more for less.

The only time I don't think much of it is when I already own a physical copy and buy it again on more modern hardware digitally (I did this with Persona 3, Persona 4, and Valkyria Chronicles).

Outside of that, people should avoid digital until the companies properly address the lack of ownership rights.

[just_looken]

Disc based will last as long as there is disc drives i do not see disc drives being a thing next gen.

The best selling console this gen the switch has very few games 100% on the sd deal alot of digital sales.

Pc has been full digital for a good 8 years now.

[ravens52]

48.2% digital sales. So your telling me they're going to take the chance and not have a console that takes physical games which accounts for more than half of their sales? I doubt it.

[TheEnigma313]

Physical will still be a thing next gen. It will probably be detachable like the current ps5. Probably sell ot as an add on with the base being digital only. Too many old heads like me, who will be bitter about no Physical media mext gen.

[just_looken]

@raven @engima

Wow you can type numbers your a goat how about a source link.

Wait what is this? digital sales rose by 13% 2022-2023? key to companies making billions now?
https://www.prnewswire.com/...

Blindboys out there

You can scream to the mountains disc will always be here but with game services/mobile/GAAS being the future and year to year digital sales are eating up disc sales there is a very small chance ps6 will have a disc drive.

Oh and walmart removing disc video games now selling those plastic code cards to kill the environment 20 times faster
https://www.techtimes.com/a...

Oh also that uk supermarket tesco
https://www.gamesindustry.b...

bestbuy/gamespot are also doing the same
https://thedigitalbits.com/...

I will also leave this here
https://www.destructoid.com...

Buy hey this is n4g 90% of you are in a post jim ryan shell

I mean does anyone here actually know that little big planet servers were shutdown 2 months ago? oh right sony they do no wrong.
https://www.reddit.com/r/li...

https://www.reddit.com/r/li...

jan 7th 0 news coverage
https://www.youtube.com/wat...

[shinoff2183]

I think your off by a bit. Doesitplay.org will also show you most games are on the SD. You have some flyers sure but most are there

I'm not gonna reply to all your links but Walmart still getting in new games for ps and Nintendo. It's xbox that is clearing house.

[KwietStorm_BLM]

I can't buy physical because my PS5 is digital. So is my PC. And my media players. And my refrigerator. Haven't bought a physical console game since before PS4 came out.

[just_looken]

Thank you for logical response

This right here is many gamers right now like it or not

[anast]

People will sell their first born for convenience. It's just going to get worse. .

[just_looken]

exactly 100%

[UltimateOwnage]

I’m always physical on console and wish I could be on PC. Thankfully Steam handles licenses better than most digital stores. Even if the game gets pulled from the store for some reason it’s still available to me to download.

[Skuletor]

Last time I checked, I can still download my digital copy of Deadpool for PS4 and that's delisted. That and the Driveclub dlc are the only delisted stuff I think I have on PS4/5.

[SonyStyled]

I always buy physical when available. Unless it’s the 1.99 snow mobile game I bought digitally last week. If I’m making an expensive purchase it’s always been a physical copy I can put in my library

[jznrpg]

I am physical all the way.

All of my digital stuff I have is from PS Plus since PS3 days when it started. I got it day 1 for storage. I did get Minecraft for my kids since we were out of town and they forgot their disc many years ago but that’s about my digital library. I have hundreds of games but never bought them.

[NotoriousWhiz]

I agree with the main point of the article. You should never lose the right to choose.

[shinoff2183]

Ding ding ding. Why are digital fans so against options. They hate us that prefer physical for some reason. Atleast were saying there's room for both but most digital fans wanna see physical die I swear

[Profchaos]

Around 2015 my internet speed was finally at the point where I could download a digital game in an hour or so. At that point I spent time selling off my physical PS4 games and rebuying the digital equivalent.

I regret that decision now and around the start of the ps5 generation the price of digital games skyrocketed vs physical in my region so I've gone back but I do worry about the futures there's absolutely going to be a day where I want to play GTA v in 20 years but with the state of modern gaming who knows if I could actually do that with a digital download

I'd honestly love to see government intervention that garuntees a platform holder ensures that digital content is accessible for 7 years similar to tax law you need to hold your records for 7 years in Australia so why not make a company selling digital goods in that country required to make them accessible for 7 years.

I'm sure the EU would push something like that eventually

[shinoff2183]

7 years isn't enough though. You paid for that. I've got access to my physical forever

[banger88]

The one thing that really annoys me about certain physical games is there is a mandatory download before you can even start playing. Hogwarts Legacy, Avatar, Starfield, Halo Infinite, Forza Horizon 5, the newer COD titles. This is a disgusting trend that I worry will become more commonplace.

[InUrFoxHole]

I remember RedDevils made a comment about this and I shrugged off his comment. Guess I'm eating crow. My bad

[Rebel_Scum]

Physical has a lifespan too. Tbh the best long term is emulation or PC store fronts.

[CantThinkOfAUsername]

Piracy you mean. Steam removes and restricts access to games all the time. Piracy is the only true preservation of media.

[Jingsing]

It would be annoying and spiteful if Sony didn't embrace higher capacity discs for the PS6. They already have cheaper discs that can now hold petabytes of data. But they would rather force consumers to go digital rather than be pro consumer. Ignoring a good piece of technology for corporate greed and control is not good.

[TiredGamer]

Not sure if it's "spiteful", but it's in the interest of all publishers to move towards an all-digital landscape. The market is moving in that direction, and unless there is some sort of significant backlash that impacts their sales, there is no incentive for them to cater to a shrinking base.

This is from someone with a huge physical collection.

[Petebloodyonion]

The problem with digital isn't digital or physical but the lack of proper reglementations regarding digital ownership.
For example. Sony just bought Funimation and decided to merge the service to Crunchyroll but they decided to remove all digital purchases despite that Funimation used to claim OWN it Forever.
A digital code that came with your Blu-ray disc won't work after April 2nd.
https://arstechnica.com/cul...
https://help.funimation.com...

Like I said the issues here is that the lack of proper laws does not force Sony to honor past agreements by providing a solution.

[Crows90]

Loss of licenses is why I love PC gaming...there's ways around silly issues like that

[rippermcrip]

I buy physical mostly, but...

Talk about being dramatic. This only affected a tiny amount of users and Sony can easily fix it. Nobody really lost anything

Article talks about needing receipts to get your stuff back, but that is a load of bull.

[mastershredder]

"that's why I buy physical" (as if it is some kind of modern still-relevant flex [maybe in a bunker in Idaho]) Meanwhile, their physical copy triggers a download and required update in order to play.

Holy hell and your helping this doof double down. "Is Why I Never Trust These Licenses". Withough understanding them aparently. Do you tie your shoes before running?