Physical or digital copy? Which do you prefer?

[lezbefriends.7516]

Digital means you get it right away, but some people like the art and collectibility of the hard copy.

Do you like digital downloads or the physical copy of Guild Wars 2 games?

[Ayrilana.1396]

For console games, I prefer the physical copies that way I actually own the game.

For GW2, unless you're getting one of those collector's version, you don't gain anything by getting the physical copy (plastic box with a serial key). For GW2, I'll stick to digital.

[Khisanth.2948]

Physical is great for helping destroy the planet just a bit faster with the unnecessary plastic bits here and there.

Physical used to be useful for people who are not able to download stuff but these days even if you get a physical copy it will probably still require a huge download anyway so all it amounts to is a giant box for a serial number.

[Danikat.8537]

For the vast majority of games I prefer to have a physical copy, because I like to be able to play them years, or even decades after release and I'm more confident a physical edition will last. Mainly because digital copies are usually tied to some sort of 'service' or DRM and pretty much any time they decide you don't have access to your game anymore it's gone and there's nothing you can do about it. (Yes there's other complications with physical copies, mainly compatibility with modern computers, but there's ways around that.)

But with GW2 that's irrelevant because if the servers ever go offline having a disc would mean absolutely nothing. So I got a digital copy instead.

[Trise.2865]

There never was a physical copy, and there won't be. The question is moot.

[lezbefriends.7516]

@Trise.2865 said:There never was a physical copy, and there won't be. The question is moot.

@Trise.2865 said:There never was a physical copy, and there won't be. The question is moot.

https://help.guildwars2.com/hc/en-us/articles/201862748-Buying-the-GameFind a physical copy at an authorized retailer.

[Inculpatus cedo.9234]

That stopped being true after HoT, I believe.

https://help.guildwars2.com/hc/en-us/articles/115010688287-Guild-Wars-2-Path-of-Fire-FAQ

Q: Will Path of Fire only be available digitally, or is there a boxed edition as well?

A: Path of Fire is available exclusively as a digital download. Please visit our official site for a full list of the available editions and exclusive bonus items, or click here to find other official retailers where you can pick up the game.

[Donari.5237]

I've stopped getting physical game boxes. I used to get physical collector's editions for MMOs because I liked the physical extras. But I've come to realize I don't actually do anything with them, and my house is nightmarishly cluttered after decades of my pack rat tendencies. I do not need more stuff! Unless it meets a real need for frequent use. Frivolous game extras, game merchandise ... I can so easily get along without it, and it's usually low quality stuff anyway.

I need to do a serious top to bottom house cleaning to strip out all the junk that I haven't touched in years. One day I'll have the spoons for that. In the meantime, I have reined in my acquisitions of material goods since I really just don't have anywhere left to put them. I'm not hoarder-level, I have plenty of open floor area, lol, but I've broken my habit of buying useless game things.

[Trise.2865]

@Mortifera.6138 said:

@Trise.2865 said:There never was a physical copy, and there won't be. The question is moot.

@Trise.2865 said:There never was a physical copy, and there won't be. The question is moot.

https://help.guildwars2.com/hc/en-us/articles/201862748-Buying-the-Game

Find a physical copy at an authorized retailer.

As someone who owns the Collector's Edition, that is bollocks. The only "physical copy" is a box with the logo on it and a download code inside.

[Danikat.8537]

@"Donari.5237" said:I've stopped getting physical game boxes. I used to get physical collector's editions for MMOs because I liked the physical extras. But I've come to realize I don't actually do anything with them, and my house is nightmarishly cluttered after decades of my pack rat tendencies. I do not need more stuff! Unless it meets a real need for frequent use. Frivolous game extras, game merchandise ... I can so easily get along without it, and it's usually low quality stuff anyway.

I need to do a serious top to bottom house cleaning to strip out all the junk that I haven't touched in years. One day I'll have the spoons for that. In the meantime, I have reined in my acquisitions of material goods since I really just don't have anywhere left to put them. I'm not hoarder-level, I have plenty of open floor area, lol, but I've broken my habit of buying useless game things.

I wish you could teach my husband this lesson. We have an entire cupboard literally full of collectors edition boxes with most of the stuff still inside. The Assassins Creed keepsake box with the false bottom, the Total War game with an entire board game included, the Total War game with a mini trebuchet inside... (He won't even let me build it...something about firing it at him afterwards.) Figurines get put on a shelf somewhere, but everything else just stays in the box.

Every time we have the conversation about "how much of this stuff are you even going to use?" But it makes no difference.

[Deihnyx.6318]

In general I go digital because of the convenience. I make a few exceptions for games I really, really like.Guild Wars 2 was one of them.