One of the dilemmas that gamers often face when purchasing a new video game is whether to buy it in physical or digital format, two choices that appreciate the conveniences of “cloud gaming,” but also highlight its drawbacks, such as the need to have an internet connection to play or the control that major cloud platforms can exert over the availability of titles. The video game industry has evolved a lot in recent years. Gone are the first platforms that were launched on the market for playing video games, such as the Atari 2600, which arrived in 1977 with the use of cartridges. Later, more modern physical formats emerged, such as CDs or SD cards for consoles and computers. Now, digital gaming has become one of the most preferred and abundant formats for users. According to a report published by the video game platform Newzoo, also compiled by GamesIndustry, the physical format represents only 5 percent of the profits generated by video game sales in 2023. On the contrary, the remaining 95 percent of last year’s income corresponds to digital purchases, exceeding the figures of 2022, when this version of the games already represented 94.2 percent of sales. In the case of Spain, according to data collected by the Spanish Video Game Association (AEVI) in the “Yearbook of the Spanish Video Game Industry in 2023”, sales of video games in physical format last year reached a sales volume of 1,038. million euros, while online titles reached 1,301 million euros. The data therefore point to a trend that seems to embrace digital formats. However, both new and nostalgic players continue to wonder which format is better when buying a new title, given the disadvantages that digital games can pose. Physical or digital video games? Both formats, physical and digital, have their pros and cons when it comes to enjoying video games, although it must be taken into account that these differences between one and the other will vary with respect to the needs and tastes of each user. The main difference between the two is where the game is played. In the case of the digital format, there is the option of “cloud gaming” or cloud gaming, which offers the possibility of playing through remote “devices”, which correspond to the company’s servers. In this way, instead of using a physical disc and installing the game on the device to play it locally, it is played in the cloud and only requires an internet connection to play it. This option is offered by the current major video game development companies, such as PlayStation, Xbox, Ubisoft, Nintendo, Epic Games or Valve, which have online platforms where users can purchase titles. They are also stored in your personal accounts that can be accessed via the cloud. With this in mind, one of the main advantages offered by digital video games and “cloud gaming” is their ease of access, since users simply have to access the corresponding platform where they are available and purchase them. After that, they have to either download it to their computers or play it in the cloud, relatively quickly and easily, having to go in person to the establishment that sells it. For its part, a physical game requires that it be purchased in a store, as well as being available in terms of “stock”. Likewise, when using a digital format, another issue that must be raised is the need for an internet connection for most games, even if they can be downloaded to a computer or console. On the one hand, this requirement allows users to play on any console and anywhere, since the game is linked to a user account that corresponds to a specific platform. However, when playing on a different device in digital format, you must have sufficient storage space and meet a series of minimum specifications necessary to be able to play. For example, a processor or a computer with enough power to run it. In addition, the need to use an internet connection can be a problem if there is interference or if it does not work properly, since it leaves the game unusable until the connection is resumed. Thus, this completely hinders the gaming experience. What if the video game console shuts down? Despite the advantages of the digital format, one of its major drawbacks is that users are at the mercy of the terms that each cloud service offers in order to be able to use the titles they have purchased. That is, if the distribution platform or developer stops providing the video game in question, players will lose it, without the possibility of being able to use it again. This is because, by purchasing the digital product, users agree to purchase “software” that is not really theirs, and which may not be available for download or use in the cloud at any time. This feature has already been the source of criticism from players on several occasions, such as with Ubisoft and its decision to remove The Crew from its game libraries. This incident highlighted the ability of companies to block access to their titles at any time, leading some users to call for digital consumer protection legislation. Similarly, if platforms stop providing a video game, the user loses the service and no refund is given. This is because the games are owned by the platform in question. For example, in the case of PlayStation, as stated in the terms and conditions of use page for the PlayStation Plus service, “All rights to PlayStation Plus content are reserved by Sony Interactive Entertainment and its partners and licensors.” For its part, the physical video game is the player’s property and, therefore, he has full control over it. Users can therefore play it as many times as they like, lend it, resell it, or even leave it as an inheritance to a friend or family member. This allows for a more flexible situation for used video games, which also makes it easier to bring titles closer to a larger number of users, something that digital games do not allow, although there are also shared platform accounts between many users. Will the physical form disappear? Given the numbers supporting digital sales, the future of physical video games seems increasingly unclear. In fact, this situation is being driven by some video game companies such as Ubisoft, which, as stated earlier this year, sees the transition from using video games in physical form to cloud gaming “as a change in the consumer that needs it.” “It’s happening,” and that the subscription model represents a “huge growth opportunity.” Other major platforms, such as Xbox and Capcom, continue to see room for physical gaming in the industry. According to Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer, Xbox has no plans to abandon releasing its video games in physical format. The same goes for Capcom, which recently explained that “given the large number of users who demand physical games” they do not currently anticipate removing physical products from their catalog.
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