Topic: The Great Debate #1- Digital Downloads: The Way To Go?

Welcome to the first ever great debate! This is where we debate matters, sometimes about matters in rl, but mostly game-releated topics. The topic will change every fortnight (If it would be better to change it, let me know. I just put it at two weeks so there'd be a better chance of having a topic to debate). So sit down, have a cup of tea, spill it all over the keyboard by accident and talk about this fortnights topic!
Note:Anyone who flames somebody about their opinion WILL be reported,and possibly banned/suspended. Just wanted to make that clear before we start

#1: With the likes of ValvE(In the form of Steam), Nintendo and Sony all putting up downloads of games, is digital the way to go? Or should we stay with retail?

It really depends on the platform for me.
For PC I always download my games - Steam/Gamersgate etc. offer good sales and my PC is the place where I'd always want my games downloaded.
For 3DS, so far my answer is a definite no.

Retail:
1) You can resell the game once you're done - Very important for 3DS games since they will all mostly cost me between £20 and £30, while the games I buy on Steam can get 75% off sales yearly. 3DS games can be resold for at least £15 depending on the game if sold on eBay for example.
2) You can use the game on multiple systems, and lend the games to someone else - Maybe it's not important to everyone, but it may become important sometime in the future, and it's nice to have the option.
3) Losing your 3DS means you dont lose a large portion of your games as well (You lose one obviously - all others are safe), whereas if you lose your 3DS with retail downloads, you lose EVERYTHING. I've also never lost a game card in my life - so this isn't a problem unless you're just badly organised. :3
4) SD Card Capacity - Right now I use my SD card for all of my eShop downloads. If I started using it for digital downloads I'd have to upgrade to a much larger one, and over time I'd need a spare SD card, which would defeat the point entirely and mean that even my eShop games arent permanently on my 3DS.
5) You get more for the cost - If both options were equally priced and none of these other problems existed, I'd still want the box and manual for my game, as it's nice to have some physical extra's along with your game.
6) Rarity - Over time games can become rare or valuable. You would be kicking yourself if you got the digital download as opposed to a physical copy if a game you download now ends up being as valuable as Earthbound in some years time. This is of course very unlikely, but it's just something else to consider.

Digital
1) You dont have to switch games - Sure, but is it really worth it? Look at everything above, and also consider the fact that you can buy a case to hold 32 games for £5 online. With this option you'd carry the games along with your 3DS, and it would come down to simply switching the games yourself.
2) Rare games can be downloaded even if physical copies cost a lot - This is the only scenario in which I would pick digital, for example if I wanted to buy Cave Story 3D today. It's rare that I'd ever have to do this though - and not a general advantage to normal retail games.

Also - not having to go to the shop to get your game isnt a reason to download digital. Amazon or other online retailers mean that you can get your game in a few days or less without leaving your house.

I personally think downloads are best suited for small indie games too small for retail.
Anyway, many retail games take forever to download because they are so big, and the developer doesn't think how long it will take. Also they take up a lot of space in whatever storage device you use. But a positive here is that they are sometimes cheaper than if you buy them in stores (except for NSMB2 on the eshop!!).
Anyway, I love having a box of the game, but I guess it is more convenient not having to go to the store and get your game, and you don't have to change your disk/card whenever you play a different game.

Both retail and download have their obvious pros and cons, but I prefer retail and hopefully will continue to.

It's best not to mix console & handheld games in with PC game type purchasing.

There are many factors that go into digital download that include but are not limited to:

-Downloading speed
-Memory space
-Selling back if You don't like the purchase

Just to name a few.

I should know, The first & last thing I ever got on Steam was Team Fortress 2.
It took 14 hours to download and 3 more to install... And I wasn't told that I needed more things (like graphics cards, sound cards etc.) to actually run it.

Digital. Sarcasm, arguments, and all that aside, I genuinely like giving developers and publishers fair compensation for the games I like to play. Cut out the middle-men? More revenue for them. This makes me feel like I've done my bit to help out, and get more games I like to play in the process.

Hoe about half digital half retail. I buy all arcade games digital (well its the only way) and older games with nice digital discounts on xbox live. I buy new games retail though.

We've now gone to a time where most things are digital. Including Songs, Movies and some games. To be honest, I'm all for digital games. The only huge problem is games aren't like music, where you can store thousands in one system with ease, much less hundreds.

I'd definitely say digital. If a game is digital, I'll always be able to find it. That's been a problem for me with the DS, since there are games I haven't been able to get simply because I can't find them. I haven't had that problem with my PSP though, since I can just download the games off the PSN store. I get the game, and the devs/publishers get the money rather than Gamestop.
I don't resell my games, so the only issue for me would be the amount of money the place I store the games in costs.

Pricing is a huge issue for me. I support the move towards digital sales when priced appropriately, and like knowing that the majority of my money goes to the people responsible for creating the game instead of a chain of middle men, but I doubt Nintendo will do a good job with digital pricing. How many digital-only games or services are sold in the $30-40 range? Will digital copies of 3DS games drop in price or have sales at the same rate as retail goods? Flexibility is key here - and that's something that Nintendo rarely excels at.

I also think it's often game-dependent. Does a particular game really benefit from digital distribution? Part of that depends on how people prefer consume their games, part of it on how the game is designed and what size/scope it provides. Animal Crossing is a great example of a game that takes advantage of the benefits you get with a digital release - playable in short bursts, daily over a long period of time, and a perfect match for the "always available" convenience provided by not having to carry a cartridge. Tetris is another that I find infinitely more valuable as a downloaded game that can be accessed at any time instead of requiring me to carry a cartridge, allowing short play sessions whenever the urge hits without having to keep a game card nearby. Games with less replay value and larger scope often don't take advantage of the benefits. Am I going to revisit that 40+ hour JRPG on a whim every now and then? Is it going to be something I want to keep in my collection after fully exploring the story the first time?

Personally, I like having the choice available. Most of the time, I prefer having my games in physical form from. Sometimes digital is much better though... and I look forward to having more options.

I just want 3rd party 'retail' games on Nintendo eshop.
Because from now on, im going digital.

Not until the pricing is is clearly cheaper than a physical copy even if it means undercutting retailers.

Its not the way to go for me. I'll stick to using the eshop for vc and 'ware games. I like having the physical product with the box art and instruction manual. It also feels more like its something I own if its physical.

Digital because in 10 years all of you will be wanting SSB3D on VC in waiting for SSB6 and I'll already have it on my new 5DS