How I've Learned To Embrace Digital Downloads

Posted on Friday, April 20 @ 11:00:00 Eastern by Daniel Bischoff

Last night, I hurriedly stuffed my messenger bag with clean clothes, a toothbrush, my computer, my notebook, and a handful of other necessities. I'm in Bellevue, WA today, but not for what you might think. As the remaining bag space started to dwindle, I realized a sad fact:

I couldn't bring both of my handhelds with me.

I can't remember the last time I left home for more than errands without a Nintendo handheld in my bag. I took my Game Boy on our family boating trips. I took the Game Boy Pocket and Color miles up in the air when I flew to Michigan for family reunions. My Game Boy Advance went to Japan for three months and took me along with it. Even the Nintendo DS and DS Lite escaped my dorm during the holidays, my appetite only satisfied by a new game to play.

Last night, the Nintendo 3DS got left on my desk, along with all its cartridges. Sony's PlayStation Vita made it into my bag, but I left every cartridge I have at home. Within the next 72 hours, I exclusively played downloaded games.

What's most striking about this shake-up is that I'm much more invested in the 3DS StreetPass system. I couldn't care less about Near, so knowing I won't be collecting any Miis or their puzzle pieces had me second guessing my decision.

Still, at the time, it was so easy to make a snap decision and bring the Vita with its digitial, downloaded games. I don't have to worry about any cartridges, and if I want a new game, I can just download it via Wi-Fi. The Vita in my bag is a completely standalone unit. I have no need (or room) for loads of extra pieces in my bag.

Perhaps most shocking is that I've actually become quite fond of the Vita's ability to carry plenty of games I want to play, without any spare cartridges. I can switch from Lumines to Hot Shots to Persona 3 Portable on the fly, as I wish.

I can't trade any of them in, though. I trade in games far too easily. If there's a game I want, I need to start budgeting for it. I used to hate all the games on XBLA I couldn't trade once I was done.

Now I feel like my Vita catalog is stronger for it. Yes, we'll miss a lot in the digital future. Cases, info booklets, box art...all gone—but the convenience is starting to grow on me. I just hope we're given the option to choose retail for as long as possible.

Tags: PS Vita, 3DS

Comments

Guernica
Joined: Mar 2009

Posted: Apr 20th, 2012 at 11:08 am
I'm loving my 3ds a lot for the same reasons. It's great having all these downloaded games. I just leave with one cartridge in the slot and a plethora of downloaded games on my SD card.

Also I've been using steam since HL2 as well and it's a great platform just for the fact of how many games are available.

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tinymhg
Joined: Jun 2011

Posted: Apr 20th, 2012 at 3:19 pm
TIS' THE WAY OF THE FUTURE.

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ShadeTail
Joined: Nov 2006

Posted: Apr 20th, 2012 at 5:25 pm
In all seriousness, this will only be true (here in the U.S. at least) once we get serious about internet infrastructure. We are so far behind both Asia and Europe, where multi-megabyte-per-second speed for both uploading and downloading are standard.

Until I have standard (and affordable) access to the kind of speed they get in Asia and Europe, I'm sticking with physical media. I'm not going to tie up my connection for two or three days to download a several-gigabyte game with my laughable "broadband" speed.

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tinymhg
Joined: Jun 2011

Posted: Apr 21st, 2012 at 8:07 am
Which came first the chicken or the egg? You may not be able to stick with physical media much longer no matter your "...laughable 'broadband' speed." If everybody turns away from the hard copy delivery model and moves to the digital copy delivery model (where they can make higher profits because of lower over heads and used game sales become a thing of the past) you will not have a choice in the matter (except to buy or not buy). Then when demand is there the speeds you want will follow.

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Merlin
Joined: Oct 2005

Posted: Apr 20th, 2012 at 5:43 pm
Welcome to Steam and the PC gaming market years ago lol

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warmaster670
Joined: Jun 2007

Posted: Apr 21st, 2012 at 6:06 am
so steam somehow makes it possible to take your computer in your pocket/bag with less space? or do you somehow think that having a game installed via steam is somehow different from having it installed via disc?

Sounds like someone couldn't be bothered to read.

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NickKmet
Joined: Jan 2007

Posted: Apr 20th, 2012 at 8:38 pm
What are you doing in Bellevue? That's not that far from where I live when I'm not at college.

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Chunibrow
Joined: Mar 2010

Posted: Apr 22nd, 2012 at 1:53 am
You're quite a smarmy weiner warmaster

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