> I get that for enthusiasts owning a physical game may be more desirable
It is more desirable. So is not having to be connected to the internet to play your games. So is not paying for something that can be taken from you at any time for any reason without reimbursement. So is having a copy of your game that can't be edited or censored at any time (including silently) and which can always be played in its original form.
Also desirable is the ability to modify or patch the games you paid for however you like, even in ways publishers wouldn't approve of. So is the ability to let a friend borrow the game. So is the ability to resell your games. So is the ability to pass them down to your kids or grand kids.
When all you have is "gaming as a service" you'll be giving up a hell of a lot more than a disk or a box on your shelf. Companies love cloud/subscription based gaming because it gives them far more control, gives them new ways to collect data on users and new ways to push ads at them, and it allows them to force gamers to pay for their games over and over again instead of it being just a one time purchase.
I don't care how "casual" a gamer someone is, they will never be better off giving up so much in exchange for so little, especially since what little they do get is all subject to change at any time, just like the ongoing costs will be.
I certainly like all those features, but would rather have them in a digital form.
I want to download the media to my hard drive, store it on my NAS, back it up in any way, and be able to install it from those sources whenever I want.
I also want licenses to be maintained outside of walled gardens using digital signatures, which I can also maintain my own copy of. As long as I present my license file along with signed game media, I want my console or PC to be able to run that game.
I should also be able to lend, sell, and trade the digital license to anyone along with a copy of the media.
I don't mind digital if it's done right. I like GOG because you don't need their client, you can just download all the installers and manuals directly.
>I don't care how "casual" a gamer someone is, they will never be better off giving up so much in exchange for so little,
maybe you should care more, then. Because you clearly haven't considered the POV of the casual gamer. They want to see a game, download it, tinker for a few hours, and move on. They don't care about data or ads and they sure won't stick around long for subscriptions.
You can't understand an audience if you dismiss them like that.
Thank you for this comment. I relate to every one of your points.
Especially the silent/forced updates. It can be SO bad in games. since the OP is about blizzard- look at hearthstone. Its a card game where you can’t trade, and the cards you sank money into can just get nerfed when the next expansion comes out. It amazes me this is acceptable to some.
years and years ago I played hearthstone but after a couple seasons of "surprise your decks don't work anymore" I realized this was just an endless grind to get me to buy more packs and never logged in again.
It is more desirable. So is not having to be connected to the internet to play your games. So is not paying for something that can be taken from you at any time for any reason without reimbursement. So is having a copy of your game that can't be edited or censored at any time (including silently) and which can always be played in its original form.
Also desirable is the ability to modify or patch the games you paid for however you like, even in ways publishers wouldn't approve of. So is the ability to let a friend borrow the game. So is the ability to resell your games. So is the ability to pass them down to your kids or grand kids.
When all you have is "gaming as a service" you'll be giving up a hell of a lot more than a disk or a box on your shelf. Companies love cloud/subscription based gaming because it gives them far more control, gives them new ways to collect data on users and new ways to push ads at them, and it allows them to force gamers to pay for their games over and over again instead of it being just a one time purchase.
I don't care how "casual" a gamer someone is, they will never be better off giving up so much in exchange for so little, especially since what little they do get is all subject to change at any time, just like the ongoing costs will be.