Topic: Getting tired of publishers cutting corners.

The Banner Saga trilogy is coming physically. That's awesome, I love rpg games and I've heard nothing but good things about the series. However, as I look at the box art, I see the dreaded "required download" notice across the top of the box art. And it aggravates me.

All three games, combined, require roughly 13GB of storage space. The simple answer is that Gearbox Publishing decided to go with an 8GB game cart rather than the more expensive 16GB cart. Pushing the added cost to consumers and making the game nearly worthless as a collectable. Because once the update server goes offline, that physical copy is little better than a coaster.

Gearbox Publishing. I would've paid $60 for a physical version that doesn't have a required download.

A coaster for hamster drinks

@Magician ill play the tiniest violin for you

I see publishers like Square-Enix using 32GB carts for Dragon Quest Heroes I&II, and I smile. At least S-E is trying to be consumer-friendly. But seeing these smaller games being loaded into the smallest-sized cart...just to maximize investment returns...sucks as a collector. I can see how the industry will eventually become digital-only in about ten years.

@Magician cant wait for that time to come to be honest

That's nothing new...just like how they make gas guzzler to get the most bang for their corporation gasbuddy bucks. This tactis is nothing new now if they fitted it on a 64 or 128 gb cartridge that be a game changer but unfortunately the process to make and get those cards will not be cheap for the buyers in the end.

That's what they said about ebook replacing paper book but look again the paper books are back again and ebook has leveled off and hasn't gain much now.

So long as they keep up that scummy practice, I'll keep skipping such games. I want L.A. Noire and Wolfenstein II so badly, but they skimped on both. The maximum I'll pay for either is AU$20, and even that is more than they deserve.

I finally downloaded Resident Evil: Revelations 2, but I used my gold coins and didn't spend any actual money on it out of principle (and the 25GB that I needed to accommodate it isn't free either). I would have happily paid full price for a proper retail release otherwise (still would).

I too skip such games. I guess the Switch will be my Pokemon + Zelda only device.

So let’s all stop buying online only games or games with large dlc expansions because in 15 years when those servers are offline we can’t play those either

People are thinking too much about that theory of digital games no longer being available but old ps3 games are still available 10+ years later

Guess I'm in the minority but this doesn't bother me one bit to be honest. Megaman X collection will be my first "half and half" game, got plenty of space on my 128gb cards so not a huge deal to me. If any of you do need larger cards they're selling for super cheap on Amazon right now

@Magician
Luckily, the Switch games that i played are Always Smaller than 16 GB and just some MB or few GB for updates.
And i ALWAYS going Physical.

@Silly_G serious? Spoiler alert games like Wolfenstein 2 and La Noire do not have that replay value where in 10 years and those eShop servers are offline will effect you one bit

It depends on the platform and the level of curation and conservation. I love my PSPgo, but I was shocked to discover that the only method available to redownload previously purchased games, and upload them to my PSPgo was through a PS3 or through Sony's Media Go app. Unfortunately, Sony just dropped support of the Media Go app earlier this year. So if I hadn't held on to my PS3, I wouldn't have been able to manage and backup those PSP games.

I'd imagine PC-gamers don't have to worry as much about older games, since there are so many avenues for obtaining games digitally. Steam, Green Man Gaming, GOG, etc.

I couldn't skip L.A. Noire, because I wanted to support Rockstar + I really love L.A. Noire.
I also bought DOOM, because the required download is for online multiplayer modes only. so that's ok.

But for Wolfenstein II and Banner Saga Trilogy, two games I really want to play, I'm waiting for a bargain. I don't know if I really like and want them, so I'm hesistant... especially hesistant because of the mandatory download.

My opinion on games that are not entirely on the cart when bought physical:
Well, it's several steps back - back to 1960 or something, if you know what I mean.
We never had this before so it's worse than Wii U, Wii, Gamecube, N64, SNES, and NES.
You'd think the tech goes forward along with consumer-friendliness, but it goes back to embryonal state.

@ValhallaOutcast : That's not your call to make. I still play some of my favourite games 10-25+ years after the fact, so, yes, this scummy practice does and will affect me in the long term.

If publishers want my cash, they'll need to cough up for a 32 gig card. I don't mind if they're limited edition, more expensive, whatever, but no-one is even giving us the option.

@Silly_G agreed it’s not my call that you won’t want to play Wolfenstein 2 again in 10 years but don’t let the fear of eShop and updates going offline before you’re done with a game

Everything is going more digital vs less so not sure why there is even a fear that digital store will go offline

@ValhallaOutcast : The Wii shop is already (mostly) offline, the Wii U servers will be turned off sooner or later, and I have little doubt that the Switch eShop will someday meet the same fact. Nothing online lasts forever.

When corporations are done selling a product, they turn off the servers, removing everything to do with it in the process (including any patches, downloads etc.). It's standard business practice.

If the game shipped on a 32GB cartridge or on Blu-ray disc for PC (if only) I would have little reason for concern, but as it stands, I cannot, in good conscience, support this practice.

Yeah, I was so excited about Banner Saga physical...but now it's just feels half hearted. Ah well. Their loss.

When did publishers lose sight of what a physical version is? It's bizarre.

Digital is fine. Got tons. However when I go physical I want the game on the cart, otherwise what's the point? Nintendo should never have allowed this situation to get so out of hand. It's a system killer and offputting in the extreme.