June 26th 2024.
It's hard to believe that there are still people out there who don't own a copy of GTA 5. In fact, it seems like every week someone new is showing off their impressive physical video game collection on the Wednesday letters page. If you want to join in on the discussions, just send an email to the designated address.
But let's talk about GTA 5 for a moment. After all these years, it's still selling like crazy. Who are these people buying it? It's hard to imagine that there are that many new players just now jumping on the bandwagon. I mean, I've bought and played the game multiple times over the years for various reasons, but I still can't wrap my head around it consistently topping the charts.
Someone once told me that there's always a first time for everything. And in this case, it's true. There are always people buying a console or PC for the first time, which is a good thing for the games industry. Otherwise, they would be in real trouble.
But sometimes it feels like the console manufacturers are creating a self-fulfilling prophecy. I've read multiple times that because hardware sales are slowing down, they take it as a sign that the next generation is necessary. But maybe the slowdown is due to a lack of games? For example, I was three years late to this generation because there just weren't enough games to entice me. And now, I'm already bored with my PlayStation 5. This year, there's hardly any first party PlayStation games, which is the worst I've seen in all five generations. I understand that game development takes longer and costs more, but will this really get any better with an even more powerful generation? After all, games sell consoles.
Speaking of consoles, I couldn't agree more with Francis' letter about the next generation. How many games for the Xbox Series X/S and PlayStation 5 have actually pushed the consoles to their limits? Maybe half a dozen on both consoles combined? I remember reading comments on the Reader's Feature last week about a gamer sticking with their PlayStation 4, and most of them said they were glad they upgraded to a PlayStation 5 because of the faster loading times. But is that really a justifiable reason to shell out over 500 pounds for a new console?
Moving on to physical vs. digital games, the question should really be "When was the last time I bought a digital game?" For me, the answer is never. I only buy physical games. It's become a personal rule of mine. If a game isn't available physically, I'll wait for the publisher to create a physical version. I'm not ready to go 100% digital, and once that day comes, I'll focus on older consoles to build up my physical library.
On a similar note, I remember the last time I bought a game at GAME. It was the midnight launch for GTA 4. I arrived at 11:40 pm and was already 200th in line. By the time 11:55 rolled around, there were at least 300 people waiting. But these days, I don't shop at GAME because they're too expensive. I usually go to Tesco because they have better prices. I remember when Call of Duty: Modern Warfare came out, GAME was charging 8 pounds more than Tesco for an extra map, which was only available for a limited time. It just didn't seem worth it to me.
I understand that back in the day, GAME had to charge more because they only sold video games. But times have changed, and I'm not willing to pay more than I have to. It seems like GAME's days of selling video games are coming to an end, and they need to adapt. As for digital downloads, the problem is that once you buy a game, you're stuck with it. You can't trade it in or return it if you don't like it. I must admit, I've started buying more digital games because my friend and I share games, making it cheaper for both of us. But ultimately, I prefer physical games. There's just something satisfying about having a tangible collection of games on my shelf.
Surely, by now, everyone must have a copy of GTA 5. It's been selling like crazy for years now. In the letters section on Wednesday, one reader shared their experiences of visiting GAME, a popular video game store, and showed off their impressive collection of physical video games. If you want to join in on the discussions, you can email us at email.
Speaking of GTA 5, who are these people still buying it in such huge numbers? It's hard to imagine that there are so many new players just now getting into the game. Personally, I've bought and played it multiple times over the years for various reasons, but I still can't wrap my head around it consistently ranking high on the charts week after week. Can anyone explain this phenomenon?
Well, as our reader GC pointed out, there are always new players entering the gaming world, whether it's through buying a new console or PC for the first time. Without them, the gaming industry would be in real trouble. It's a self-fulfilling prophecy, really. But let's move on to another topic.
There's been talk that the slowing down of hardware sales in this generation means it's time for the next generation of consoles. But is that really the case? Our reader Adam_Lion_23 makes a valid point that perhaps the sales have slowed down due to a lack of games rather than the need for a new generation. As someone who was three years late in getting into this generation, I can attest to the shortage of games. And now, with the PlayStation 5, I'm already getting bored with the lack of first-party titles. It's the worst I've experienced in all five generations. It's understandable that games take longer and cost more to make, but how will this improve with an even more powerful generation? After all, games sell consoles.
Moving on to another reader, Adams6legend, who brings up the fact that there aren't many games that truly push the Xbox Series X/S and PlayStation 5 to their limits. In fact, they estimate only about six games in total for both consoles combined. And yet, in our previous Reader's Feature, many readers mentioned that they were happy they upgraded to the PlayStation 5 for the faster loading times. But is that a good enough reason to spend over 500 quid on a new console? We'd love to hear your thoughts on this, so don't forget to email us at email.
Now, let's talk about physical vs. digital games. Our reader LB prefers to only buy physical games and will even wait for a physical version to become available if a game is only released digitally. They believe that the day game developers and publishers go completely digital is the day they'll stop buying from them. They'd rather focus on older consoles and build up their physical game collection. We can definitely understand the appeal of having a physical collection on your shelf.
Speaking of physical collections, our next reader shares their experience of buying games at midnight launches. They vividly remember the GTA 4 launch at GAME, where there were at least 200 people waiting when they arrived at 11:40 pm. But despite the excitement of these events, they admit to not regularly shopping at GAME due to their higher prices. They recall a time when even a popular game like Call of Duty: Modern Warfare was sold for 8 pounds more at GAME compared to Tesco. Our reader understands that back then, GAME was the only place to buy video games, but now with the rise of online shopping, they believe GAME needs to adapt and change their pricing strategy.
Lastly, our reader David brings up the issue of being stuck with a game after purchasing it digitally. With physical copies, you always have the option to trade it in or sell it to someone else. But with digital downloads, once you buy it, you're stuck with it. However, David does admit to buying more games digitally now because they share games with a friend, making it cheaper in the long run. But they still believe that GAME needs to step up their game and adapt to the changing market. As for David, they will continue to stick to physical copies as long as they are available.
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