The costs to sell videogames is horrendous, and any retail merchant is crazy to support videogame sales with the current distribution policy. The retailer is being forced out of the market. It is going to end up that you don't go to the store to buy your videogames, you only ever purchase it online.  This isn't much of a problem for some, but it is a problem for others. Especially with the Christmas season upon us, grandma won't be buying that videogame for Johnny, if she has to find out how to purchase it online first.

I'm curious as to what people think about not having the option to buy a videogame in a retail store.

your idea about old people not being able to figure out a computer is pretty prejudice.  buying things online isn't really new or all that difficult.

i voted - like to have the option. 

I don't care personally. Steam, Origin, Gamersgate, Greenmangaming, Getgamesgo, Impulesdriven (Gamestop App now), or brick and mortar store. I'll just buy from whatever is cheaper normally. 

Also, as far as PC gaming goes (from what I've seen anyways), few brick and mortar stores sell PC games anymore. Gamestop went digital (they bought out imuplse driven) and their PC section is a very tiny shelf with a few major titles (Blizzard games mostly), and the same goes for Walmart.

I'd prefer to have a physical copy, although I have bought stuff digitally before.

It's so much easier to reinstall a game (for whatever reason) if you have the disk(s), and then run a patch to do the rest.  It can easiely turn a 4 hour download into something that only takes 20 minutes to install from disc(s) and 40 minutes to patch (as with an MMO).  Less if the game is small, and much less time required if the game a single player with no patching required.

Collecting game boxes can be a hobby as well.  Pulling them out many years later and reading the box / inside flap / instruction manual can be stroll down memory lane..

Originally posted by muffins89

your idea about old people not being able to figure out a computer is pretty prejudice.  buying things online isn't really new or all that difficult.

 

i voted - like to have the option. 

your assumption that me referring to granny as being old is kind of prejudice, and probably more insulting to granny than me saying she might not want to buy things online. You can feasibly be a grandma in your thirties. You can be nervous about using your credit card online at any age.

I voted to prefer having options. But really, I don't pay much attention to it unless something goes wrong and I have to reinstall. Then, having disks is a pretty huge time saver. Otherwise, I could go either way.

Originally posted by eyelolled

Originally posted by muffins89

your idea about old people not being able to figure out a computer is pretty prejudice.  buying things online isn't really new or all that difficult.

 

i voted - like to have the option. 

your assumption that me referring to granny as being old is kind of prejudice, and probably more insulting to granny than me saying she might not want to buy things online. You can feasibly be a grandma in your thirties. You can be nervous about using your credit card online at any age.

whatever man - you think old people don't know how to work a computer.  no need trying to explain yourself.  i get it.

Originally posted by Quirhid
No one in my family would want games as gifts. And I'd like to buy my own games. Digital download preferably.

Or we prefer to give ear-marked money. My teenage son is more than capable to do his own online purchase if there is money in his paypal acct.

Originally posted by Karteli

I'd prefer to have a physical copy, although I have bought stuff digitally before.

 

It's so much easier to reinstall a game (for whatever reason) if you have the disk(s), and then run a patch to do the rest.  It can easiely turn a 4 hour download into something that only takes 20 minutes to install from disc(s) and 40 minutes to patch (as with an MMO).  Less if the game is small, and much less time required if the game a single player with no patching required.

 

Collecting game boxes can be a hobby as well.  Pulling them out many years later and reading the box / inside flap / instruction manual can be stroll down memory lane..

Originally posted by muffins89

Originally posted by eyelolled

Originally posted by muffins89

your idea about old people not being able to figure out a computer is pretty prejudice.  buying things online isn't really new or all that difficult.

 

i voted - like to have the option. 

your assumption that me referring to granny as being old is kind of prejudice, and probably more insulting to granny than me saying she might not want to buy things online. You can feasibly be a grandma in your thirties. You can be nervous about using your credit card online at any age.

whatever man - you think old people don't know how to work a computer.  no need trying to explain yourself.  i get it.

This has nothing to do about old people who cant use computer but the fact that older generations dont like putting there cc number online or just dont trust the services and this is a fact. There is no prejudice there..

My mom 58 years old and she is a secretary so she use pc all day but dont try to make her purchase something online, she wont do it.

I think you are the one who misjudge the OP here.

To the Op i vote i like to have the options but i do not care much.

I used to love to buy in retail due to I got the box and good ol fat manual inside the box.

Now days, why bother you get a manual the size of a tea leaf that says nothing so yes I buy online.

Originally posted by Silok

Originally posted by muffins89

Originally posted by eyelolled

Originally posted by muffins89

your idea about old people not being able to figure out a computer is pretty prejudice.  buying things online isn't really new or all that difficult.

 

i voted - like to have the option. 

your assumption that me referring to granny as being old is kind of prejudice, and probably more insulting to granny than me saying she might not want to buy things online. You can feasibly be a grandma in your thirties. You can be nervous about using your credit card online at any age.

whatever man - you think old people don't know how to work a computer.  no need trying to explain yourself.  i get it.

This has nothing to do about old people who cant use computer but the fact that older generations dont like putting there cc number online or just dont trust the services and this is a fact. There is no prejudice there..

My mom 58 years old and she is a secretary so she use pc all day but dont try to make her purchase something online, she wont do it.

I think you are the one who misjudge the OP here.

To the Op i vote i like to have the options but i do not care much.

My mom has a computer but refuses to get the internet, and my dad flat out refuses to deal with one at all (I have got him to text on his phone a couple times though)  I'll have to let them know that they aren't living up to their potential according to muffins.  lol

Seriously though, you're right Silok, it has nothing to do with old people not being able to use a computer,  but rather that they are more careful with how they handle some things.   I for one, think they are smarter for it.

I voted I like to have it as an option.

I actually prefer 100% online myself.  However, when I was younger playing EQ, I always preferred retail as I did not have a debit/credit card or paypal to buy the expansions.