How do you buy your games?

[TheFreeman]

Just a fun little question. Since digital distribution through services like Steam and Origin have become a lot more easier to use in the recent years, I have started using digital distribution services like Steam almost exclusively, since the games are often cheaper and easier to buy, especially during Steam's sales where I end up purchasing a lot of games, some of which I even forget about.
Steam also has a lot of community features which I find very useful, which is also an another plus over retail games.

So, do you buy your games from a retail store or as a digital download?

 

[Jordan]

I do both. If I happen to be in town and see a game I like, I would purchase it. I also pre-order games all the time via retail store. Then of course I use digital download & purchase my games via Steam and origin. I actually mostly use Origin a lot now because of the recent games they have like Reckoning.

 

[Oklahoma City Thunder]

I pre-order games at the store. I buy most of my games in store.

 

[Smokey]

For me, I just got a gaming laptop, so it depends on who's got the better deal. If i can get a game cheaper in retail say for my PS3 i'll go that route. If it's cheaper on STEAM, i'll get it there. I go wherever the prices are cheaper and it saves me soooo much money. Plus i use gamefly to try games before buying.

 

[thepostman]

As far as consoles are concerned, I buy from Gamefly when I come across one I want to keep. For PC, I purchase all digital, at whichever site has the best deal. Steam and GoG being my favorite distributors.

 

[dagscot]

I used to buy from Gamespot or maybe find a cheap copy on Amazon/Ebay. The last few games I've played I've rented from Gamefly. I got fed up of buying new games for $39 and finding out they had real short gameplay. Seemed like a waste of money. So Gamefly was perfect for me.

 

[Jessi]

I'm trying to remember the last time I bought a physical copy of a game and it would've been several years ago. I didn't even go to the store, though...I had it delivered. I can't remember the last time I went into a store and bought one.

 

[Oskar]

I have always been a console gamer until about a year ago, then I discovered how awesome Steam was.
I own a mac. If you don't know already, a mac and gaming does not go to well together .
So all the 'heavy' games (Borderlands, GTA, AC) I buy for my xBox 360 and all the less demanding games I buy for my mac (Indie games). Luckily I do own Parallels Desktop (allows me to run windows on a mac), so I am not to limited gaming wise.

 

[aliangel3499]

I usually buy my games off of Steam as well. I prefer to get a game as soon possible rather than to drive out of my way. If it is a game that I'm not too excited about or seems really expensive, I may check out GameStop or Amazon.

 

[tiffaninichole]

I mostly buy digital because it's just easier and more convenient. Why put on pants and leave the house if I don't have to? LOL. Plus, digital is cheaper in some instances. When it's not, I'll go to Amazon or eBay. Nothing wrong with a little second-hand action if I can get it for a better price. I'll go to a store like GameStop only if I feel I have no other choice. They really left a bad taste in my mouth when they tried to screw me over with e trade-in. Had the nerve to offer me five freakin' dollars when I wanted to trade-in a game that was only two weeks old and a huge seller!

 

[djordjem87]

I live in Serbia where we do not buy things we do not really need. it is just common sense to us. So, I 'buy' my games online using torrent. I know it is illegal, or I think it is illegal, but as long as it works I will do it. You can even buy from guys on the street who download and make replicas. It is very cheap and if you are to lazy to make your own effort of finding proper torrent, download and install the game you can always do that. If you are a PS 4 owner you cannot do this but you can go in Hungary and buy original games from some shady guys for one third of the original price. My point, in Serbia we do shady business all the time.

 

[AndroidOS]

I much prefer having actual physical copies of my games, although it's becoming harder and harder to get physical copies of PC games. I also tend to pre-order a lot of my games now - I don't buy that many any more, and when I do I've been looking forward to it for a while so I'll pre-order them.

 

[Ridge]

I buy the vast majority of my games digitally nowadays, it is just so much easier. The exception being long standing franchises that I love and want to put on a shelf near each other. Things like Zelda and Metal Gear.

 

[Dabstin]

It's been so long since I last bought a physical copy of a game. About 10 years now. Steam has completely changed the way I buy games. It's the only platform that encourages me to buy games digitally. Uplay and Origin fail so horribly at that, mainly because their stores only include games from their own companies while Steam includes games from all developers, including indie and independent developers. Also the sales are very frequent in comparison with store sales that are usually only in special holidays or occasions. Not to mention I don't have to go out to buy my games again. Sun burns my vampire skin. *hissss*

 

[leahcim132]

I buy my games online. I stopped buying them from a store since I don't live near one at all. Besides, buying games in your pajamas is always fun. I think more companies are starting to sell their games online rather than selling hard copies nowadays.

 

[Liselle]

I rarely go to a physical retail store to buy games anymore. I usually browse online retailers to buy physical game copies because I like having something tangible. Otherwise, I would buy digital purchases from Steam since it keeps my games organized. Also, Steam has a ton of sales going on.

 

[Maelalove]

I do both retail and digital. I buy retail when I can because I don't want to use so much space on my consoles to download the games. But at the same time, it is super convenient to be able to digitally download a game I want when I want it. If you don't take into account that the game takes hours to install, or can be installed while you're out doing things, then it can be much more convenient.

 

[PSyCHoHaMSTeRza]

I only do pre-orders in physical stores, because usually, aside from the ingame bonusses, you get physical thingies as well. Like a keychain or a bottle opener or something like that. I just find that cool. But all else I just buy it either on Steam, GreenManGaming or HumbleBundle.

 

[Maelalove]

I only do pre-orders in physical stores, because usually, aside from the ingame bonusses, you get physical thingies as well. Like a keychain or a bottle opener or something like that. I just find that cool. But all else I just buy it either on Steam, GreenManGaming or HumbleBundle.

I'm assuming you do most of your gaming on the PC? I feel like an excess amount of games for console are usually more bought physically because of storage space on a console.

 

[Susimi]

I almost always buy a physical copy of the game when I can and will do so for as long as I can, but that's in regards to console games. PC games, I'm on the fence about. I mean I do like having a physical copy of the game but I sort of like the system some games are running as in they have the standard game as a download and then you can chose what modules to buy and add to the game.