In an age of rapidly growing online gaming platforms and marketplaces, purchasing physical video games may seem unusual. However, physical media is still very important for many reasons. As a video game researcher and content writer focused on environmental impacts, I was initially intrigued by the sustainability promise of cloud gaming. However, as we will explain later in this article, it is not that simple.
Explaining the controversy over the physical version of Doom: The Dark Ages
Doom: The Dark Ages has been doing well with fans, but it has also sparked notable controversy surrounding its physical version.
Let me start with one big caveat. Buying physical media doesn't mean you won't buy indie titles that only have the budget to publish digitally. Sometimes for small publishers and indie developers, online-only publishing is the only option. In this case, the best way to support the developer is to purchase directly from their website or recommended platform. Some platforms cost more than others, and recognizing what helps support developers who create innovative and engaging media can give developers more opportunities to create the exciting games you love.
Go offline
Disconnect from live service system
Cloud gaming and live service gaming require a persistent internet connection to function as intended. In many cases there is no way to avoid this. This isn't an inherently bad thing. one of my favorite games, Hitman: World of Assassinationis a live service that connects to the server every time you play a game to compare game scores and add new content. You can play offline, but your score isn't tracked properly and your progress won't be synced. The limitations of offline mode make live service mode very attractive by comparison.
the other side Hove's Tomb Excavationis a beautifully designed indie game with a narrative that can be played completely offline. This is a game that has no microtransactions or locked content, preventing players from fully enjoying the game. In the same game Excavation of the tombs of Hove, When you purchase the game, you get the full game. These games are completely different, but they represent complete, well-crafted experiences that are only as valuable as their replayability. hitman.
buy used
Reduce and Reuse
It's often unwise to buy a new AAA title right after release. take cyberpunk 2077 As an oft-cited example; Although it's now quite a powerful and enjoyable gameplay experience, it was riddled with bugs when it was first released. Many of those who pre-ordered or purchased the game and played it on day one were sorely disappointed. It was full of game-breaking issues and didn't live up to expectations at all.
The 22 Rarest PS4 Games (And Their Values)
From niche indie titles to limited collector's editions, some rare PS4 games can sell for thousands of dollars.
Following infamous launch issues cyberpunk 2077 In the months that followed, it became one of the easiest games to get a physical copy of. And as CD Projekt Red continues to fix and improve the game, those who buy it used can still experience the game as the developers intended. Plus, buying used helps you avoid waste, which reduces your environmental impact.
The reality of ‘cloud’
nothing comes from nothing
The reality of the cloud is that it doesn't just exist as a vague, miraculous concept that suddenly embodies a game. While the environmental impact is significantly reduced by eliminating vast production and distribution networks, the environmental impact is still significant due to the power required to run the services required for cloud gameplay and live service games.
Despite the carbon-intensive nature of large servers and cloud streaming, buying a new physical video game is still much more resource-intensive. The reality is that there is no neat solution to the environmental impact of video games. However, by purchasing used offline-only physical media, players can recycle some of the resources already consumed rather than continuing the resource-intensive process of physical production and cloud gaming.
game preservation
Don't let your favorite games become lost media.
Owning physical media is fantastic for media preservation purposes. More than many other forms of commercialized media, digital games are at risk of being lost as the hardware and software that facilitate these experiences become obsolete. This doesn't just apply to the more obscure and expensive full-priced games from the 90s. Digital-only gaming experiences including: Pacific Standard Time, Since it was only available for a short period of time, it was at risk of being lost to the lost media graveyard without a significant fan preservation effort.
Massive video game archive with 390TB worth of games is coming to an end
In a major blow to video game preservation efforts, one of the Internet's largest game archives has announced it is closing its doors.
There's a lot more to media and video game preservation than physically owning the media that a game is stored on, but preserving these physical artifacts goes a long way toward maintaining the availability and accessibility of video games. Missing drivers and other software requirements may render the game completely unplayable. But owning physical media provides another avenue for media preservation, which is becoming increasingly difficult in the digital cloud era.
DRM issues
Ownership rather than very expensive rental
Purchasing a game grants players unlimited access to use it within the bounds of copyright law. However, the digital rights management involved in many games sold on online platforms raises serious consumer rights issues. This includes not being able to resell the game. There are very few exceptional circumstances in which digital copies of a game may be resold, immediately reducing the value of the player's purchase.
Find all 10 pairs
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Find all 10 pairs
Investing in live service-only games and games that rely on the cloud carries significant risk. Servers may shut down, rendering the game unplayable, or service may be interrupted without warning. Some recent high-profile cases include: anthem. anthemThe servers have been shut down this year, making the game unplayable effectively.
tangible artifacts
Parallel Text Considerations
It may be a cliché, but nothing compares to holding the actual game in your hands, and part of that is because of the other things that come with it. One of the surprising things about buying physical copies of video games is the love and attention paid to special editions. Bryson Hile has compiled a list of the best collector's editions.
A special edition that helps indie games earn extra revenue and adds an incredible dimension to your video game experience. Art books, figures, vinyl, stickers, maps, prints, etc. are all examples of additional supplementary material that may be included in a special edition.
break the monopoly
Mom and Pop Game Stores Disappearing
When a major full-price release comes out, there are often a few standard platforms that players will use to make a purchase. The usual suspects: Steam, Epic Games, Xbox/Microsoft Store, PlayStation Store, etc. However, physical media distribution works a little differently.
Most places have few small business video game stores, but there are a lot more shopping opportunities than just going to Steam. Small gaming stores have long since disappeared from the main streets. This is all the more reason to support the remaining minority.
In 2025, actual game sales hit an all-time low.
Sales of physical copies of games continue to plummet, reaching a multi-decade low despite growing interest in physical media.
