Joystiq poll results: How you feel about downloadable games
Last week, we asked the Joystiq community how it felt about downloadable games. This generation brought with it a new wave of downloadable games, and the upcoming Xbox One and PS4 are pushing downloads harder than ever. Even the handheld space is getting in on the action, with the recently released Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney - Dual Destinies being available exclusively as a download in North America.
Among current platforms, it seems that PC players are the most comfortable with the concept, with 84 percent of respondents saying they purchase downloadable games on PC. That's perhaps not too surprising given the popularity of services like Steam, GOG.com and Desura. The balance shifts as we move down the line, with almost 72 percent purchasing downloadable games on consoles like Xbox 360, PS3 and Wii U, while only 62 percent of respondents download games on handhelds like the 3DS and PlayStation Vita.
The reason for not buying a downloadable game was split between two choices. 39 percent prefer to have a physical product, while 38 percent think downloadable games should be cheaper than their retail counterparts. Meanwhile, 12 percent worry that their games might disappear if services like Steam, XBLA or PSN ever shut down. A small number of respondents, 7 percent, worry about games not transferring to the next generation of consoles (spoiler: They won't). Very few, only 3 percent, are concerned about the cost of hard drives and memory cards.
Commenters also shared their opinions, offering more nuanced points of view that are tricky to convey in a static poll. This is one of the biggest questions of this generation - on consoles in particular - and people have lots of reasons for making the choices they do. You'll find some of these opinions after the break.
Among current platforms, it seems that PC players are the most comfortable with the concept, with 84 percent of respondents saying they purchase downloadable games on PC. That's perhaps not too surprising given the popularity of services like Steam, GOG.com and Desura. The balance shifts as we move down the line, with almost 72 percent purchasing downloadable games on consoles like Xbox 360, PS3 and Wii U, while only 62 percent of respondents download games on handhelds like the 3DS and PlayStation Vita.
The reason for not buying a downloadable game was split between two choices. 39 percent prefer to have a physical product, while 38 percent think downloadable games should be cheaper than their retail counterparts. Meanwhile, 12 percent worry that their games might disappear if services like Steam, XBLA or PSN ever shut down. A small number of respondents, 7 percent, worry about games not transferring to the next generation of consoles (spoiler: They won't). Very few, only 3 percent, are concerned about the cost of hard drives and memory cards.
Commenters also shared their opinions, offering more nuanced points of view that are tricky to convey in a static poll. This is one of the biggest questions of this generation - on consoles in particular - and people have lots of reasons for making the choices they do. You'll find some of these opinions after the break.
