PS4 Disc question

[Deleted]

Hi all, Thanks for answering my Xbox vs PS4 question before and thanks to that I have decided on a PS4. My next question is this, I have heard that when you buy a disc copy of a PS4 game it installs to your console, does this mean it is permanently linked to your PSNET account? I have the terrible habit of ruining discs or getting them chewed on by rats, is a disc a permanent thing to own or is it better for me to buy online ala steam style via PSNET and keep them forever?

[Edge-]

If you have a bad habit of destroying disks, I'd buy digital. If you buy a physical version you'll need to use the disk to play the game, even if it installs to you HDD (I'm pretty sure).

[Shuji V2]

If ruining disks is a thing, buy them through the PS Store because they are required to play the game. As for the disks, they won't lock to your account or playstation.

[Deleted]

Thank you, guess the PS store is for me the clumsy fuck I am!

[Cattleya]

You need the disc to play, despite the huge installs, so yeah, if you have a tendency to destroy discs, I'd go digital.

[Deleted]

You need the disc to play, despite the huge installs, so yeah, if you have a tendency to destroy discs, I'd go digital.

Pure digital for me!

[Blueobelisk]

Question is answered and you acknowledged it so I guesssss I'll just add fuel to the fire and say that yes, the game installs on your PS4 and it'll be there for you to choose even if the disk isn't there, but if you try to open the game it'll say you need to put the disk in.

Digital is pretty good. Back in PS3 days it was a real bitch to download stuff, but now you just purchase your game and it'll download and you can even leave the PS Store. (Before you couldn't even browse other games if you were downloading a game.)

[Deleted]

Question is answered and you acknowledged it so I guesssss I'll just add fuel to the fire and say that yes, the game installs on your PS4 and it'll be there for you to choose even if the disk isn't there, but if you try to open the game it'll say you need to put the disk in.

Digital is pretty good. Back in PS3 days it was a real bitch to download stuff, but now you just purchase your game and it'll download and you can even leave the PS Store. (Before you couldn't even browse other games if you were downloading a game.)

Are there any advantages to a real disc rather than digital?

[Tech614]

If you have a bad habit of destroying disks, I'd buy digital. If you buy a physical version you'll need to use the disk to play the game, even if it installs to you HDD (I'm pretty sure).

Yes, if it's a physical copy it full installs to the HDD and runs off the HDD, but it still checks to make sure the disc is in the system before booting it.

- - - Updated - - -

Are there any advantages to a real disc rather than digital?

There are 2 advantages that you may or may not care about.

First, you can resell physical copies if you beat a game and no longer want to keep it.

Second, physical copies usually drop in price faster then digital. While Sony does have good sells every so often digitally most of the deals are olderish games, while the ne physical copies drop in price like rocks after a few months on places like Amazon.

Also if you're in EU I think physical copies can be found for flat out cheaper at launch then digital from what I heard, but can't confirm that.

[Remilia]

Are there any advantages to a real disc rather than digital?

Aside from collector's possession which depends on individuals.
Resale and easier to move system to system if say you bring the game somewhere else you don't need to set up a user and account to download and install the game.
Down side of course since you require the disc so if you destroy it you're kind of SoL.

[Blueobelisk]

Are there any advantages to a real disc rather than digital?

Biggest advantage is you can sell your disc when you're done or even share with friends. (Not that I'd know about sharing. Or "friends.")

Also the discs are much faster to get to the game. With digital download, I have heard that Sony's servers are kinda slow. Especially on like a launch day. Not that that should deter you, but your internet speed/connection and Sony's is kind of a factor considering you could be downloading 40+GB's (and it's not like the PS4 is dual band so you could connect to a high speed 5 GHz network either).

It also seems like Sony's customer support sucks. Idk how true that is but when I'm on their forums, seems soooo annoying.

I also feel like digital is a lot easier if you're trying to remote play from a Vita. Not sure if that affects you. I don't have one so ??? on the validity of it.

You can always mix and buy some physical and some digital. It's not like you have to choose one of the other. I say buy brand new games or games you get store deals physical and buy anything that's similarly priced digital. That's what I do.

[Lightwysh]

IF you go pure digital, make sure to get a good external harddrive, 1tb fills up quick when you are doing full game installs

[kail]

IF you go pure digital, make sure to get a good external harddrive, 1tb fills up quick when you are doing full game installs

Are they not about the same? XBO Digital store lists games taking up the same HD space as the amount taken up by disc install. Maybe the work differently with PS4s.

Discs for XB1 tend to act as the installer and the key.

Regardless I would advise getting an external anyways as 500GB will go rather quick with AAA games. A 7200RPM portable HD works like a charm on both systems.

[Tech614]

Are they not about the same? XBO Digital store lists games taking up the same HD space as the amount taken up by disc install. Maybe the work differently with PS4s.

They are the same but you can simply uninstall games you have on a disc, and when you want to play them again the game will be playable nearly instantly with the disc vs massive download.

Xbox One install times are shit even from discs though so I know why you would think that otherwise, but PS4 disc installs are legit usually in sub 1 min for a playable amount of install data, and the longest I have seen is GTAV take 5 mins to playable.

[kail]

They are the same but you can simply uninstall games you have on a disc, and when you want to play them again the game will be playable nearly instantly with the disc vs massive download.

Sure, installing from the disc should be faster than downloading from the internet in theory. I'm simply saying the amount of HD space either take have shown about the same for the XB1 and would recommend additional storage no matter how you get the games. Don't have a PS4 so I can't comment on space required from disc vs digital download.

[Tech614]

Sure, installing from the disc should be faster than downloading from the internet in theory.

"In Theory".

Once again the PS4 install times to play discs are sub 1 min in most situations with the most extremes being 5 mins.

PS4 install times from discs is non existent, you can delete and re install as much as you want. It's not the shit Xbox One install system that can take 30 min or longer depending on the game.