Do You Prefer to Purchase Games Retail or Download?

[Simon_Says]

Well I think the question is straightforward enough.

I prefer getting retail copies myself (in fact I never downloaded a game, though that may change with Left 4 Dead), since I prefer having a copy of the game that I can trust I'll still have when the zombies take over. And there's always the neat little extras, such as the Septim Coin I got from the Oblivion Collector's Edition, which I've since put to use as my trusty d2.

Discuss!
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[Satan Crime Wash]

Retail. I like the tactility, the paper manual that you don't have to alt-tab to read, and the fact that you have a physical copy. Although in the age of secuROM I guess that means very little. Plus I like to buy collector's editions. How else would I get my Septim, Big Daddy, Spartan helmet, big-ass Far Cry 2 map, Vault Boy bobblehead etc?

I do buy a few oldies on Steam, mind.
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[Carlo Sandiego]

I like'em both.

Download is kinda fun, especially through steam. It's not as quick as just heading to the nearest store and grabbing a copy, but it's more convenient. I can do other stuff WHILE it's happening. Conducive to multitasking.

Retail...if it's something gigantic like Crysis. The tactility IS a good point.

However, I tend to get games from half.com, which isn't downloading OR retail, and has better prices than either. So yeah. Kind of a moot point...
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Why must the government repress our god-given right to no pants?

[Aramor]

Depends on the game. If I really like it I buy it. Otherwise I download it.

I got all my 20 something PS2 games original, but that's because I don't want to screw with my Playstation.

I also have the C&C collection up until Generals original. I got Fallout, Fallout 2 and Fallout: Tactics original. And some other games that were very cheap, like Evolva, Worms, BF:1942 and some others.
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[Azrael]

I mostly just buy games. In case my game has a critical failure, I can just reinstall it easily with a disk. Not as annoying as what has to be done on a downloaded game.
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Only the strongest will survive.

Married to SpideyGirl.