Katarzyna Petru
The game market is increasingly shifting to digital distribution, and collectors of physical editions must face ever-rising prices. In the case of older consoles, such as PlayStation 3 or PlayStation Vita, the prices of rare titles can exceed several hundred złoty. In the meantime, many of those same games can still be purchased digitally in the PlayStation Store for a fraction of that amount. This solution, which just a few years ago was niche, is now becoming the most reasonable option for many players.
Box Prices Are Rising, Digital Remains
During the heyday of the PS3, most gamers chose physical versions. However, today some less popular titles reach absurd prices on the secondary market. An example can be Yakuza: Dead Souls, whose boxed edition can cost several hundred zlotys. The situation is similar with Silent Hill: Book of Memories on the PS Vita. A physical copy can be valued at over 800 zlotys, while the digital version can be purchased much cheaper directly from the PlayStation Store. For many gamers, this is the moment when sentiment for boxes must give way to reason.
Retro classics all in one place
The digital store for older consoles has one more advantage. It is often the only legal way to purchase discontinued classics that have disappeared from Steam or the Xbox Store. On PS3, productions such as NiGHTS into Dreams in HD, Virtua Fighter 2, and Jet Set Radio are still available. Additionally, there are classics from PS One, often in a cross-buy model, which means they can also be played on newer Sony consoles. For retro fans, this is a true treasure trove.
Is it worth buying digitally on old hardware today?
Although many gamers love physical collections, the realities of the market are brutal. The prices of rare boxes are rising faster than inflation, and availability can be heavily limited. Meanwhile, digital versions still allow you to legally play many forgotten titles without breaking the bank. After all, gaming is primarily about playing, not investing in plastic boxes.
Source: PPE
