Physical media is awesome, and there is no question about that, especially from a sentimental point of view. It is just nice to actually own a disk of your favorite movie series, or video game. However, it is a matter of fact that the internet is the future now, and online marketplaces and stores are the predominant force when it comes to publishing, selling, and buying video games. In this little article, we will go over a few reasons why and how.
Cheaper
Physical media has a set price tag attached to it and stays pretty fixed, as it is a physical product that needs to be made and packaged and stored on shelves, and it is, or was, a stable market that did not have any competition, so there were rarely any price fluctuations. Compare that to now, where there are so many digital games and publishers, which cost almost nothing to set up and sell, so there are numerous sites and stores where you can buy games for next to nothing or see different prices, like this platform for competitive game pricing where you can get a quick handy overview of prices and make a decision. You will also see much better sales more often online, with discounts often going to 50% off or more.
Convenient and Accessible
Absolutely one of the main benefits of online marketplaces for gaming is just how incredibly convenient it is. You do not need to drive to a store, see if they even have the game in stock, wait in line at the counter, pay, drive back home, and so on. No, all you need to do is boot up your pc, laptop, or console, open your gaming platform, and you can browse through thousands of titles, read reviews, compare prices, and purchase and add them to your library in just a few clicks.
Multiplayer Necessity
For many, many people, online gaming, playing, and connecting with other players from all over the globe is one of the most important aspects of gaming; for some, it is even the reason why they are gaming in the first place. Making friends, building connections, communicating, and teamwork are all hugely integral parts of many games, and the internet and online platforms for games have made it unbelievably easy to connect with other players, chat or voice chat, and join other players in-game with just a few clicks, concepts that just weren’t in place before.
Digital Advantages
Now there are pros and cons to both physical and digital games, but physical media can be lost, for example, broken, scratched, or the like. Digital games are all stored in one place, and while this can have issues like losing your account or getting hacked, there are solutions and preventative measures for such scenarios, and the ease of access and comfort of a storefront like Steam simply cannot be denied, as hundreds of millions of people will tell you.
Video games have evolved insanely fast in the last decades, and online platforms are only one of the main ways this has happened. Even with certain disadvantages, the sheer convenience and affordability of the internet won out in the end.
Want to explore something different? Identifying and Fixing Garage Door Issues: When to DIY and When to Call a Pro