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[jcorb]

I could never possibly justify paying full-price for the same game twice, however I would personally be highly motivated to pay a small upcharge to own a game both physically and digitally.

My reasoning is; I like owning games I like. I may want to play it 10+ years down the road, when the digital marketplace may have shutdown. At the same time, in the here and now, digital games are much more convenient, and are probably more lucrative for paid content.

I’m not sure what the most elegant solution would be. Maybe the physical edition could come with “deluxe edition items” or paid DLC expansions in advance, that also grant access to the full digital copy of a game? There’s an obvious risk that someone will just sell the disc or code separately, I suppose.

But for my part, I could totally see paying an extra $10-15 for both versions. I have, on rare occasion, purchased the other version of a game much later on sale, but definitely far less likely.

Publishers may run some amount of risk with a strategy like this, but part of me wonders how sales would factor out in the end? Particularly as part of a Collector’s Edition or something. I would almost wonder if it would be a worthwhile endeavor for publishers to sell physical copies of games ala carte, given a couple of shops do so to produce retro reproductions or even homebrew that plays on official hardware.

In any case, I can’t speak for anyone else, but I’m finding myself much more inclined to go physical for games that I like, and it seems like there would be some kind of happy medium then would benefit devs and publishers as well.

 

[Hero of Spielberg]

I remember they used to do this with some Blu-Rays, you'd be able to stream the movie as well.

I'd totally be down for it, especially if it meant more competitive prices for digi6al games.

 

[PontiusFeeb]

Me too. Amazon used to (maybe still do) give you a download of music if you buy a CD. Best of both worlds.

 

[ReyBrujo]

Living in Argentina some of the digital stuff for Switch is dang cheap. For example the Witcher 3 Wild Hunt + Expansion is about 3-5 dollars (whereas the US shop got it at 60). In this case I buy both the physical and the digital and play directly the digital keeping the other copy sealed. However the first party games like Mario Wonder or Tears digital are extremely expensive, like 90 dollars for Mario and 100 for Zelda. In that case I only buy the physical, sometimes used for less than a third. I wouldn't mind if this was standardized, especial with the Switch 2.

 

[Kataploom]

Why charge a small premium amount when they can just get twice the amount?

 

[baphomet]

Because me, and everyone else on the planet, would buy it and then sell the copy we don't want to make our money back.

 

[Magic Carpet]

3D Bluray movies did this almost exclusively to the detriment of the industry.
Eventually the only way to buy a 3D movie was an expensive case that included multiple disks, 3D bluray, 2D Bluray, The DVD version, A behind the scenes DVD and a digital code to download the movie.
Expensive AF

 

[lh032]

same as you OP, sadly corporations are too greedy to do that.

 

[vaibhavpisal]

Let go of the fear that digital market place like steam will collapse.

Will do you a world of better.

 

[kingwingin]

back when portal 2 came out on ps3, it included a digital pc version. When I went on launch day there were people buying it, grabbing the code and instantly trading it in.

Companies are greedy, but I think if the used game market wasn’t so huge and as easy to access, it could have been a possibility.

 

[kiphalfton]

Because me, and everyone else on the planet, would buy it and then sell the copy we don't want to make our money back.

Good luck selling games for anywhere close to retail price. You're lucky to get even 2/3 of your money back. Even if brand spanking new. Too many lowballers.

 

[ZehDon]

And you'll just wind up with the Xbone DRM all over again, trying to tie digital licenses to physical games.

 

[baphomet]

Good luck selling games for anywhere close to retail price. You're lucky to get even 2/3 of your money back. Even if brand spanking new. Too many lowballers.

Ignoring everything else about this hypothetical that it would cause, you can easily sell a sealed game on launch day for $60. Literally all day long.

 

[S0ULZB0URNE]

I would gladly for....

 

[Three]

Because me, and everyone else on the planet, would buy it and then sell the copy we don't want to make our money back.

Yep and the only way to make that work is with an online check-in which would defeat the purpose owning physical incase of servers shutting down.

 

[KungFucius]

And you'll just wind up with the Xbone DRM all over again, trying to tie digital licenses to physical games.

Which might have been cool. Seriously I hate having to put a physical disk in the PS5, but for a while, I really wanted to be able to sell the 70 dollar game I would never touch again and reclaim 40 or so bucks.

 

[Angry_Megalodon]

Good luck selling games for anywhere close to retail price. You're lucky to get even 2/3 of your money back. Even if brand spanking new. Too many lowballers.

in Europe, PS games usually get a discount before release, so someone could buy it at 60-65 and then sell it at 70 or 75. (80 retail price)

The speculation on collector and special editions would be wild, too. It already is.

 

[Shake Your Rump]

Nintendo already has the ability to do this. They just need to flip a switch. Each Nintendo cartridge has a unique identifier used for a one-time redemption of coins. They could use this same identifier to unlock a digital copy of each game once.

I used to want what you want, but I'm actually okay with the current system. Each console disc is essentially just a key to play the digital version. As long as I can still sell/lend/trade the discs, I'm content.

 

[EDMIX]

True


Gamers need to be fighting for these types of consumer rights. These companies can't be fucking trusted.

 

[kiphalfton]

Ignoring everything else about this hypothetical that it would cause, you can easily sell a sealed game on launch day for $60. Literally all day long.

I've sold stuff for 20+ years, and that's BS.

This gen generally the only games that get good return are switch games.

Even then, IF a game is readily available for purchase at a retail store forget about selling it for the same price as a retail store.

The best way to optimize returns are selling on eBay/Amazon/etc., but even then there's selling fees and shipping costs to factor in. Selling on FB Marketplace, Offer up, Craigslist, etc. is a joke.

 

[Euler007]

I might get banned for this, but I'm all in for a super cool Steelbook edition that doesn't have a disc inside, just a digital redeeming code.

 

[demonstr8]

I buy every game physical full price that I want and only buy digital games if they are cheaper than what I make an hour which is around 40 dollars. The amount of money I get reselling games that I don't like is massive and letting my friends borrow my games is nice too but being able to switch my console offline, make a new profile and put a disc in is the most important thing to me. I used to do this with PC games too before it was phased out.

 

[West Texas CEO]

I might get banned for this, but I'm all in for a super cool Steelbook edition that doesn't have a disc inside, just a digital redeeming code.

 

[baphomet]

I've sold stuff for 20+ years, and that's BS.

This gen generally the only games that get good return are switch games.

Even then, IF a game is readily available for purchase at a retail store forget about selling it for the same price as a retail store.

The best way to optimize returns are selling on eBay/Amazon/etc., but even then there's selling fees and shipping costs to factor in. Selling on FB Marketplace, Offer up, Craigslist, etc. is a joke.

Sounds like you're just really bad at it then.

Selling brand new games on eBay/Amazon is literally just giving $15 away for nothing.

 

[kiphalfton]

Sounds like you're just really bad at it then.

Selling brand new games on eBay/Amazon is literally just giving $15 away for nothing.

Put your money where your mouth is and post some sort of proof then.

If you can't or won't, then move along.

 

[Duchess]

I believe Microsoft is looking to a way to fingerprint physical discs, so you can uniquely redeem them against the digital versions.

Would be good if Sony were to do so, too.

 

[existensmaximum]

Gamers should be fighting for the right to sell games from your digital library.

 

[sn0man]

I love these ideas. Here is mine:

Game retails for X. Physical + digital is X x 1.5 or whatever.

If you buy the physical + digital you only get the digital version right away. Your digital version works like everyone else. The difference is that many years (e.g., 4 years, different for each developer) from release the game will be done getting dlc and patches. At that time most people will have moved on. Because you bought the physical + digital edition, only at that later point in time will they ship you a disc copy of the game. Once you put that disc in the system it erases the digital edition of the game and so you’d be left with the physical version only.

You could technically sell that disc you got but it would not be as valuable at the end of life of the game. Most people would have moved on. But if you were the kind of person that wanted a physical in the first place you’d be most likely to want to keep it.

 

[calistan]

I believe Microsoft is looking to a way to fingerprint physical discs, so you can uniquely redeem them against the digital versions.

Would be good if Sony were to do so, too.

Wasn't that basically what they were going to do with the Xbox One? Nobody was very enthusiastic about that idea.

 

[Duchess]

Wasn't that basically what they were going to do with the Xbox One? Nobody was very enthusiastic about that idea.

Ah, yes, they were doing that DRM thingy, so you couldn't share games. Perhaps this is an evolution of that idea. If it happens. I only read something vague about it, during the whole ABK saga.

 

[Sethbacca]

If companies really wanted to accelerate getting people on the fully digital bandwagon they'd offer some kind of MoviesAnywhere type setup where you can play purchased games on any supported platform.

 

[Black_Stride]

I remember they used to do this with some Blu-Rays, you'd be able to stream the movie as well.

I'd totally be down for it, especially if it meant more competitive prices for digi6al games.

Did they stop doing this?
When I lived in the US I used to get so many "free" movies because my buddies had badass home theatre systems and swear by the quality of the physical disc so they would just give me the VOD version.

 

[phant0m]

I remember they used to do this with some Blu-Rays, you'd be able to stream the movie as well.

I'd totally be down for it, especially if it meant more competitive prices for digi6al games.

They still do. Almost every blurry or 4K UHD disc comes with a digital code.

3D Bluray movies did this almost exclusively to the detriment of the industry.
Eventually the only way to buy a 3D movie was an expensive case that included multiple disks, 3D bluray, 2D Bluray, The DVD version, A behind the scenes DVD and a digital code to download the movie.
Expensive AF

Uhh, what? Nearly all blurays do this, not just 3D, and they still do it today (at least in the US). My UHD disc of Dune came with a code.

And you'll just wind up with the Xbone DRM all over again, trying to tie digital licenses to physical games.

Nah. OP isn't asking for a digital license for disc games, they want a basically a code for a digital copy of the game in addition to the disc.

Did they stop doing this?
When I lived in the US I used to get so many "free" movies because my buddies had badass home theatre systems and swear by the quality of the physical disc so they would just give me the VOD version.

They didn't 9/10 BR movies I've purchased also include a digital code.

 

[ZehDon]

Nah. OP isn't asking for a digital license for disc games, they want a basically a code for a digital copy of the game in addition to the disc....

Asking Publishers to adopt a 2-for-1 model isn't going to happen.

 

[Hudo]

If companies really wanted to accelerate getting people on the fully digital bandwagon they'd offer some kind of MoviesAnywhere type setup where you can play purchased games on any supported platform.

Some sort of universal account system managed by a third-party, non-profit entity would be ideal. But it will never happen because that directly torpedoes the strategy of locking people into one ecosystem.

 

[Shake Your Rump]

Movies come with a code because anyone can download and watch the bluray in full quality with a few mouse clicks and BitTorrent. It’s likely the same reason the music industry allowed the switch to DRM-free lossless for distribution.

 

[Black_Stride]

They didn't 9/10 BR movies I've purchased also include a digital code.

Ohh for real.
Shame im not in the US anymore, the codes are usually region locked.
But ill see if i can still pimp one of my old contacts for a code to see if I can redeem through VPN.

But on topic.
The more I think about it the more im liking the idea......until I realize soon most games wont be complete on disc, so the disc wont even matter if say the servers drop, cuz you would still need the servers to complete the game.
Arent Call of Duty games already pretty much useless without the Internet, campaign cant even start?

 

[Mr.Phoenix]

Ideally, albeit this may end up sounding controversial...

The proper thing to do is to only sell the games digitally, but each platform should allow you be able to do two things.

1. Sell on your digital license to a game if you choose. Which will mean that every digital purchase is tied to your account, you sell it on and your digital key on said account gets revoked, thus, you can no longer access it.
2. Make a copy of the game data using ur digital license. You should be able to make a copy to either a disc (by simply connecting a BR disc RW drive to the console via USB), or to an external drive. Now if you want to print out official cover banners for the game and put it in a plastic box along with your disc, then it's all you.

This way, all games are sold digitally, and once you make that purchase, you get a digital license that is tied to your account, and once you sign into that account on any console, you can play your games, be them on a drive, or from a disc. When you make a copy of the game, your account puts on an lock key on said disc. With your digital license and account ID being the key to said lock. And whenever you want to play a disc your account unlocks the disc. So if you sell on your digital license, you can no longer access a physical copy of that game because you now lack the key.

It may sound draconian, but this is the only way to have a situation where we can buy games digitally, store them physically, and sell our "used" digital games whenever we want.

 

[phant0m]

Asking Publishers to adopt a 2-for-1 model isn't going to happen.

I don't disagree, I was just clarifying what OP was asking for.

 

[tr1p1ex]

Nintendo doesn't even let you easily share a digital game over multiple switches/accounts in one household. Work around with 2. Basically impossible with 3.

I do figure there might be some improvement in that area next gen.

 

[clem84]

I too am a big fan of physical copies. The main problem I see with them now is updates. It's safe to say that 95% of games released physically nowadays, maybe even close to 100% who knows, end up being patched/updated. To me that makes the disk a lesser version. The day it will no longer be possible to update the game, we'll no longer be able to play it the way it was meant to be.

An ideal scenario for me would be for developers to release the game digitally so everyone can play it and then release a 100% updated version on disk like a year later. Your suggestion isn't bad. You pay a small extra at first but this guarantees you'll get the final copy on disk when the time comes. It would satisfy all of us collectors and it would help with game preservation.

I don't know if publishers would go for this though. If you help the customer preserve his games, it might make future sales on different platforms less likely.

 

[Fbh]

I mean yeah for us as consumers it would be great.
Same as how every digital storefront should just be like GOG and give you completely DRM free installer that you can store wherever you want and allows you to install games even when offline and without requiring some account.

That said it's not going to happen because console makers want you to buy all your games digitally, not physically. They get a bigger cut, they completely kill the second hand market, give you a bigger incentive to stick with their platform as to not loose your collection of non transferrable digital games, and they lock you into their one store monopolistic walled garden.

 

[mayham2199]

I have no interest in ever playing physical again but I honestly probably would as well just cause you never know. I'd go up an extra $25 but that's about it.

 

[Deerock71]

Blurays often include a digital code.

 

[jcorb]

So, here's my thinking:

Piracy is an issue to some extent, sure. But it's clear that the market is willing to pay for whatever is the most convenient. It seems pretty obvious that most people are more than happy to pay for games legitimately. So I don't know that I would automatically assume that people getting two copies of a game just automatically means they're going to share it (unless it's a multiplayer game, which is certainly a notable issue).

I think we can generally agree that $70 is probably the new standard pricing. Not looking to have a debate about the specific number, just keep it in mind.

Well, what if you could order a "physical deluxe edition" of a game for $100, which includes a physical copy of the game, as a code for both the digital edition AND any sort of deluxe content? Moreover, that code is REQUIRED to play the game online in any fashion? (so even standard physical copies would likely need an "enable online" code printed)

You would make a *very* compelling deal for players, essentially upselling them with whatever "premium/deluxe" content you want to include (special cosmetics, season pass, included DLC pack, whatever), while at the same time, cover most of your bases to ensure players aren't just buying "two copies" on the cheap. Hell, maybe you even sell an "enable online" feature on relevant stores, so people who buy the game second-hand can still get it on any online content (again, for games where relevant), which would be another win-win.

Again, I'm just spitballing here. But it really feels like there's a solution to be found here, that would benefit all parties involved, without the unrealistic expectation of "just pay for the same game twice at full-price".

 

[killatopak]

I imagine it's because of the second hand market.

 

[Shake Your Rump]

Well, what if you could order a "physical deluxe edition" of a game for $100, which includes a physical copy of the game, as a code for both the digital edition AND any sort of deluxe content? Moreover, that code is REQUIRED to play the game online in any fashion? (so even standard physical copies would likely need an "enable online" code printed)

Were you around for the EA "online pass" time period? Only new copies of games included it, but EA sold the passes separately for $10. It didn't go over very well at the time. I wonder how it would do now?

I wish they had stuck with this instead of paying an online subscription fee (Xbox live, PSplus). I would much rather spend $10 to permanently unlock multiplayer features for the each of the few online games I play than pay monthly for general access.

The proper thing to do is to only sell the games digitally, but each platform should allow you be able to do two things.

1. Sell on your digital license to a game if you choose. Which will mean that every digital purchase is tied to your account, you sell it on and your digital key on said account gets revoked, thus, you can no longer access it.
2. Make a copy of the game data using ur digital license. You should be able to make a copy to either a disc (by simply connecting a BR disc RW drive to the console via USB), or to an external drive. Now if you want to print out official cover banners for the game and put it in a plastic box along with your disc, then it's all you.

#1 is the only thing that will get me to accept an all-digital console. We know Steam could do this with the flick of a switch. Xbox likely has backend support for it, since they had the infrastructure ready for digital licensing via physical media 10 years ago. Sony can barely handle username changes, so I don't have much hope for them.

#2 will just have to wait for the future, like with current retro games. Someday we will be able to plug in a solid state drive containing every PS5 game and run it on a modded console or FPGA clone.

 

[Mr.Phoenix]

#1 is the only thing that will get me to accept an all-digital console. We know Steam could do this with the flick of a switch. Xbox likely has backend support for it, since they had the infrastructure ready for digital licensing via physical media 10 years ago. Sony can barely handle username changes, so I don't have much hope for them.

In my native country, there is this saying we have... "the only laws that are enforced, are the ones that have fines attached".

I look at all these companies no differently, the second one of them lets you sell on your digital license, and they do something that allows them get 10-15% of whatever you sold it on for... just watch every single one of them roll out the feature and it work perfectly. Eg... sony got user name changes spot on the second they started charging you for it.

 

[ComputerBlue]

I think there used to be a thread here where people gave away digital codes for physical movies they bought. Two people getting the movie for the price of one. You’ll never see this in games unless the disk is locked to your account somehow.