The Backlog Check-In Vol. 443: 6/29/26: Monopoly: Star Wars Heroes vs. Villains Edition

[jfissel]

You don't really own your physical games anymore either, unfortunately. To echo cane - it was a good run, haha.

[crimson_tide]

Ok. I am confused. Everyone is mad a Sony for killing gaming by going all digital...and then state they are going to just use Steam. Which is all digital already. Is it because a console manufacturer said it? If console manufacturers can shut down servers, what if Valve does the same thing with Steam? Like, I get argyle and the collector crowd taking issue with this move. But everyone else who is me meaning they are overwhelmingly buying digital anyway on console is mad why? If Steam is fine why can't Microsoft and Nintendo do the same exact thing as Sony next? Aside from nostalgia and being a collector, what changes for the rest of us? I have plenty to be outraged about that this barely registers as a blip but people are melting down and I don't get it. And no, I am not looking to be outraged just understand.

[argyle]

Ok. I am confused. Everyone is mad a Sony for killing gaming by going all digital...and then state they are going to just use Steam. Which is all digital already. Is it because a console manufacturer said it? If console manufacturers can shut down servers, what if Valve does the same thing with Steam? Like, I get argyle and the collector crowd taking issue with this move. But everyone else who is me meaning they are overwhelmingly buying digital anyway on console is mad why? If Steam is fine why can't Microsoft and Nintendo do the same exact thing as Sony next? Aside from nostalgia and being a collector, what changes for the rest of us? I have plenty to be outraged about that this barely registers as a blip but people are melting down and I don't get it. And no, I am not looking to be outraged just understand.

The difference between digital-only PC & console is choice: when Sony goes all digital, you will buy your games from the Sony store. Period. You will pay whatever they ask for it. They will have a monopoly on selling PS6 games. This isn't even taking into account the used market that will be erased overnight. While it's true that a lot of games require significant patching/updating from what's on the disc, at least the disc allows you to trade/sell/loan/give the game as you wish. You do not own anything that's digital, companies have made that clear, you are buying a license that they can revoke.

On the PC, you have Steam, Good Old Games (my personal favorite, you get DRM-free games and they have proven they are committed to preservation), Epic store, etc., etc. There's choice & therefore competition. It's still not ideal, and the not owning your games point largely stands (although again, with GoG you can download the full game & copy it/do with it what you want, you could even burn it to a disc yourself if you wanted). I'll probably still be waiting for severe price cuts on anything I want - but yeah.

On a personal note, I don't care for the majority of Sony's exclusives anymore anyway, so they just made my decision easy as far as passing on their next console.

[isthatallyougot]

I understand the frustration people are feeling, but at the risk of delving philosophical, ownership has always been an illusion - in all regards. I realize that from a narrower practical perspective there are benefits - trading, reselling whatnot. But ultimately all is always in flux. The notion of ownership has always only been a mental label that attempts to freeze conditions in a particular state - something that has never been accomplished by anyone ever, ha. Everything you call "mine" will be taken away - even the ability to articulate the concept itself. It's all being undone/reconfigured, even as we speak. The only thing to do is live in the moment...to let go and observe as things move about in front of the stillness of awareness.