Before I start, I’d like to point out that I do like the PlayStation Store. It’s good for finding new games that aren’t very big at the moment. Additionally, PlayStation Plus has given me some amazing games for free, such as Outlast and Rocket League. However, the PlayStation Store also has a lot wrong with it, and here are 6 issues.
Prices are high
My biggest issue with digital downloads is that they are always more expensive than buying them on disc. For example, Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege is currently £54.99 on the PlayStation Store. It’s only £30.00 on Amazon, meaning you can save £24.99 when buying on disc. You can buy a lot for £24.99. I could buy Rainbow Six Siege (£30.00) and Assassin’s Creed Syndicate (£24.99) on disc for the same price, which is a much better deal.
Offers aren’t very good
Because of the higher prices, the sales are usually not that good. For example, the January Sale has Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain listed for £39.99. That’s the price of a full game anyway. You can buy it on disc for £30.00 on Amazon, meaning there are better sales elsewhere, mostly on disc.
You can’t sell them
I, like many, bought the latest Call of Duty game. But for me, it wasn’t a good game. The Call of Duty franchise has been declining over the years, and Call Of Duty: Black Ops III was the last straw for me. So, after a few plays, I ended up selling it. Imagine if I downloaded this game on the PlayStation Store for £34.99 (currently on sale). I would have paid £34.99 for a game I didn’t enjoy, and I couldn’t get any of my money back.
Download times
With today’s fast internet, you can download a game quicker than buying it at the shop. But not everyone has fiber optic download speeds. Those who don’t have to keep their PlayStation on until it downloads, which can take many, many hours. Errors can also occur during downloads, sometimes leading to downloading a game all over again.
They are getting rid of discs
One of the worst issues with downloading games is that they are trying to get rid of discs. The same applies to movies and TV shows. Companies such as Game and HMV are struggling because of digital downloads, and many people have lost their jobs because of it. Digital downloads are trying to get rid of discs, sadly. This also means…
No second hand copies
I’m no millionaire. Although I do think £40.00-£60.00 for a game is good value compared to movies and TV shows, paying £40.00-£60.00 per game over and over is really expensive. Not everyone buys their games on release day; only a few probably do. It’s nice to wait sometimes until there are cheaper second-hand copies available. Second-hand copies have saved me a fortune, and because of it, I’ve played many more games over the years. It’s also helped me find some hidden gems of gaming. Imagine if games stopped being released on discs. You would play much fewer games because of it and probably stick to the big names just to be safe.
And there we go. 6 reasons why Digital Downloads are bad. Thanks for reading. Please like, share, and comment with your opinions on digital downloads. Also, feel free to follow me on Twitter X @rhysbritton.
