Digital vs retail version, mine and yours loose thoughts

[Hiperon]

Firstly I would like to point out, that I'm not trying to suggest that something is better or not, those are some loose thoughts. Would love to hear yours back, maybe with some more information if you have about it.
Secondly, I will try my best to speak in English as good as possible, but it's not my native language, so please don't hate. But yes, point out mistakes so I can make myself better!

I'm in a little of pickle, deciding which version I should buy.

• I don't mind of waiting few hours to start retail version.
• As far as I see, retail version is just better. There is... you know, more. There is actually some nice bonus, and yes, I would like to have it.
  • I really think, Cyberpunk 2077 will by my first game in life I will buy for full price at (or before) premiere. Also I never had a lot CD's in live, maybe Baldur's Gate, Heroes III, but the moment steam showed up I happily jumped in and could pay even more to not care for CD. So I'm not hardcore collector and don't have big problem having just internet version.
  • Retail version is same price. Like... SAME. And have some nice things you can have, map, postcards, etc. And since it's a little special for me, I would like to have those things a little.
• I want support CDPR . I'm from Poland, so I have this proudly "this is my company!". They got my benefit of doubt like no other company, as far as I see them, I like what they are doing. Yeah, a little crunch etc. is not good and for sure I'm not supporting it, but (I guess it's something bad about my country) it's to common here for me to care. So far I'm mostly want to show them with both hands "I support you guys, I'm buying game for game, but ALSO I'm happy that those money goes to you. I also buy for example Mass Effect for game, but that does not make me happy, not anymore, and sometimes it make difference for me". Like, you know, company making game is of course not as important as game itself, but add this little warmth or little cold to heart when buying it. When you choose 2 games, similar price, similar fun, you go for this game with warmth.
• CDP is dead - it was one of Polish distributors. And I had some nostalgia for them. So I was much more OK splitting money between CDPR and CDP, than before CDPR and some big retail shop, where I buy 1$ worth cable for 10$.

So that's it. Price is same, so I can feel like I'm making a difference and give this money fully to CDPR, or split it with some shop for some pieces of paper... But I hope really NICE collection of papers
I'm in battle, do I want this warmth in heart, or do I want more stuff. Not sure what will make me more happy after all.

By the way, anyone knows how much retail shops usually takes for themselves? It's like 0,1%, 1%, 10% or 50%?

 

[Cargan2016]

honestly in my oppinion digital is better in a safety standpoint. for example if there was a fire and I lost all my hardware I only would have to rebuy pc/console to continue playing the game. where as having a disk id have to shell out another 30-60 depending age of game to play it. not that im opposed to paying extra for cyberpunk i personally am already planning on 4 coppies of game ps version which already preordered. ps 5 version when it comes out pc version when modding becomes available and the next gen xbox version assuming there isnt cross play for multiplayer when it becomes availible

I only buy physical coppies anymore if a game i enjoy is about to loose support on digital platforms i own it on.

 

[Hiperon]

honestly in my oppinion digital is better in a safety standpoint. for example if there was a fire and I lost all my hardware I only would have to rebuy pc/console to continue playing the game. where as having a disk id have to shell out another 30-60 depending age of game to play it. not that im opposed to paying extra for cyberpunk i personally am already planning on 4 coppies of game ps version which already preordered. ps 5 version when it comes out pc version when modding becomes available and the next gen xbox version assuming there isnt cross play for multiplayer when it becomes availible

I only buy physical coppies anymore if a game i enjoy is about to loose support on digital platforms i own it on.

I think, in the Cyberpunk 2077 case, it's not really a problem. I honestly not sure, if I even got a CD with it, I believe physical copy is also just the number that let you redeem game. Difference is, that you got some bonus things like map, postcards, etc. And I totally support it, I hate that companies stopped doing it, like giving bonus not really costly nor important, but nice content with game.


But in general it's incredible important opinion, I didn't think about it from this perspective!

 

[Draconifors]

I honestly not sure, if I even got a CD with it, I believe physical copy is also just the number that let you redeem game.

All PC physical copies come with GOG codes.

 

[DerangedMorgath]

Think the GOG pre-order comes with extra stuff when compared to the pre-order for steam,

1. Extra Wallpapers and Avatars for use in GOG
2. An Exclusive Digital Booklet
3. Print Quality Cyberpunk 2077 posters

And I think the Gamestop physical version comes with some unique bonuses too,

1. Maelstrom Keyring
2. Maelstrom Steelbook
3. Posters

And the Day 1 physical edition that is being sold as a pre-order gets,

1. Map of night city
2. Postcards from night city
3. World Compendium
4. Stickers

And all digital copies get access to,

1. Cyberpunk 2077 soundtrack
2. Digital art Booklet
3. A copy of Cyberpunk 2077
4. Desktop and Mobile Wallpapers

Post automatically merged: May 1, 2020

So if you're looking to buy digital, Then I would go with GOG games,

there are no downsides, 100% of the money goes to CD Projekt Red, And you get some extra stuff, All on a trustworthy and reliable platform that gamers trust,

However, If you're looking to go physical,

Then I would get a copy from Gamestop if you can, Others might know it better by the name of EB Games though.

 

[Bloodartist]

As far as I see, retail version is just better. There is... you know, more. There is actually some nice bonus, and yes, I would like to have it.

Only the console version of the game comes with an actual disk. The PC retail version just has a piece of paper with a download code on it. (along with the other stuff)

ps. I wasn't aware of differences between the digital versions between steam and GoG.... If I had known, I might have chosen differently.. I preordered on steam couple hours after the 2019 E3 reveal

 

[Nicademusx]

I buy hard copies of the games I REALLY want, and usually the collectors edition. i.e. all my psvr games, Cyberpunk 2077, Horizon Zero Dawn, Fallout...I even went hog wild with Destiny. Other games I play but am not quite as interested in, I get digitally.
165,000 gamestop points and counting

 

[metalmaniac21]

Retail. It's packed with good stuff again. I also expect to find a thanking letter like with Witcher 3 retail release. That's hearthwarming.

 

[Johnysh]

physical retailers take normally 30%

I don't know for which platform are you planning to buy the game, I'm guessing PC, in that case you are choosing between digital goodies and 100% from the price goes to CD Projekt (if you buy the game on GOG which they own) or you get physical goodies and 70% goes to CDP.

To be honest, buy it wherever you want. Don't worry about any %. They will get paid, you will have another option to support them later when expansions will be released. If you want the physical stuff and can wait for it to arrive then go for physical edition. It's nice to see you care and I think they know a lot of people do, but this is about you, buy it wherever you want.

 

[Mybrokenenglish]

For consoles:

Retail is cheaper, can be resold, you can cancel pre-order, and sometimes you can get a refund, but requires to leave your place or wait for the delivery guy.

Digital is the opposite on every aspect.

Companies would like you to buy it digitally so they can get more money (retailers don't exist), but they do nothing to lower the price compared to the retail version. Am I the only one who sees the conflict?

(I know it's sony and MS who decide it and have contracts with retailers who sold their consoles, still, I'm not buying the less convenient option)

 

[DerangedMorgath]

For consoles:

Retail is cheaper, can be resold, you can cancel pre-order, and sometimes you can get a refund, but requires to leave your place or wait for the delivery guy.

Digital is the opposite on every aspect.

Companies would like you to buy it digitally so they can get more money (retailers don't exist), but they do nothing to lower the price compared to the retail version. Am I the only one who sees the conflict?

(I know it's sony and MS who decide it and have contracts with retailers who sold their consoles, still, I'm not buying the less convenient option)

Little of topic but...

The issue with why they keep going diskless is because of the sheer size that some of the games are now becoming, Older PC titles, used to have many discs for the bigger games, And 5-6 discs was not an unusual number to have for something like Simpsons Hit and Run or Riven,

However it's pretty unreasonable now except for consoles to have the bigger video game titles on disc, Consoles have certain limitations that restrict how much data they need to run based on the hardware limitations,

The PC however doesn't, And you can imagine how tricky it is to install 50 GB onto multiple discs,

You would have to constantly be swapping discs in and out, And if any of those discs have a fault, scratch or is missing then I say good luck, And that's not even taking into account things like updates and production costs,

More on the subject can be found in this discussion actually,

https://www.reddit.com/r/pcgaming/comments/a5u3c1

 

[CyberBrett]

I am old and i play on the PS4 so i usually get hard copies . I have already pre ordered my copy .

 

[Nicademusx]

Little of topic but...

The issue with why they keep going diskless is because of the sheer size that some of the games are now becoming, Older PC titles, used to have many discs for the bigger games, And 5-6 discs was not an unusual number to have for something like Simpsons Hit and Run or Riven,

However it's pretty unreasonable now except for consoles to have the bigger video game titles on disc, Consoles have certain limitations that restrict how much data they need to run based on the hardware limitations,

The PC however doesn't, And you can imagine how tricky it is to install 50 GB onto multiple discs,

You would have to constantly be swapping discs in and out, And if any of those discs have a fault, scratch or is missing then I say good luck, And that's not even taking into account things like updates and production costs,

More on the subject can be found in this discussion actually,

https://www.reddit.com/r/pcgaming/comments/a5u3c1

So why arent games put on USB thumb drives instead of a disk?

 

[Hiperon]

So why arent games put on USB thumb drives instead of a disk?

That would be nice!

 

[Cargan2016]

So why arent games put on USB thumb drives instead of a disk?

if they do that would be better if they where just executable from the drive and not require install

 

[Anabioz7]

So why arent games put on USB thumb drives instead of a disk?

Nintendo did that and in result Nintendo versions is most expensive

 

[kofeiiniturpa]

I kinda miss the bigass manuals that came with games in the days of yore (although, backt then, manuals were actually needed sometimes).

But I've grown to be fine with digital distribution (as long as I get to actually own the game - like it seems with GOG, just as long as they fix the Galaxy 2.0 thing where I can't play my games without the client running - and not just "kinda rent it" from Steam, UPlay, or somesuch).

 

[Bloodartist]

So why arent games put on USB thumb drives instead of a disk?

Because DLing via internet is still cheaper

 

[Nicademusx]

Because DLing via internet is still cheaper

For those wanting physical copies, when disk size is too small.

 

[Hiperon]

Companies would like you to buy it digitally so they can get more money (retailers don't exist), but they do nothing to lower the price compared to the retail version. Am I the only one who sees the conflict?

I think I understand. They can't do anything about it. You got it cheaper - later.

It's better to sell digital with bonus for same price, instead of making it more expensive (or digital cheaper). They are selling game. Everything else is bonus. Map, etc, is bonus. They want you to feel good about it, getting it, so you buy next game. If they do digital cheaper, you either feel bad about buying some useless stuff like map for quite a big mony, or bad for not having useless staff. Now if you don't care, you buy digital, And if you care you feel like getting things for free. Win win.

To be honest, buy it wherever you want. Don't worry about any %. They will get paid, you will have another option to support them later when expansions will be released. If you want the physical stuff and can wait for it to arrive then go for physical edition. It's nice to see you care and I think they know a lot of people do, but this is about you, buy it wherever you want.

Thank you (and everyone else). I didn't want to like... Spend more to support them, but actually I think I will do. I'm gwent player and I expect them to do some journey bonuses for money. So now I believe I will buy retail, and will be happy to spend more money on Gwent - and both things will make me happy.