Digital vs Physical Games in Canada: Resale, Sharing and Price

Buy a game physical if you expect to finish it and sell it, and digital if you will keep it for years or can buy it on sale. A physical copy's real cost is the price minus what you can sell it for later, which can make a new release much cheaper than it looks. A digital copy cannot be resold, but digital stores run frequent sales and the game never gets scratched or lost. Refund rules differ: the PlayStation Store's terms say purchases are final except under its cancellation policy, while Steam allows refund requests within 14 days if you have played less than two hours. Check whether your console has a disc drive before buying physical.

Resale value

A physical game holds some value after you finish it. You can sell it privately, trade it in at a store, or swap it with friends. Compare a store's trade-in offer with recent private sale listings; trade-in is quicker, and a private sale takes more effort. Check current listings for the game to estimate its resale value, and expect that value to change as the game ages and its digital price drops.

If you rarely sell games, resale value does not help you, and the comparison is simply the disc price against the digital price.

Sharing rules

A disc or cartridge can be lent to a friend or sibling with the same console. Digital games are tied to an account, and each platform sets its own rules for sharing purchases within a household or across consoles. Those rules change, so read your platform's current support pages before relying on sharing. For families with several consoles or players, sharing rules can decide the question.

Refunds

Refunds are another difference. The PlayStation Network Terms of Service say all PlayStation Store purchases are final and non-refundable except as stated in the terms or the PlayStation Store cancellation policy, and that if the price later drops, you are not entitled to a refund unless your purchase qualifies under that policy. Steam's refund page says you can request a refund for nearly any purchase within 14 days if you have played a game for less than two hours. Physical games bought from a store follow the store's return policy, which often excludes opened games.

Check the Nintendo eShop and Microsoft Store policies on their own support pages before buying, since they have their own rules.

Sales

Digital stores run sales throughout the year, and older games can drop sharply. Physical games also go on sale, especially around Black Friday and Boxing Day, and used copies are cheaper again. If you are patient, either format can be cheap; the question is which gets cheaper sooner for the game you want.

• Wishlist digital games and buy on sale.
• Compare the digital sale price with a used disc price.
• For new releases you will finish quickly, buy physical and sell.
• For games you will replay for years, digital on sale is often best.
• PC players: see the Steam sale calendar.

Storage

Digital games take up console storage, and large games fill a drive quickly. Expanding storage costs money, so include it if you buy mostly digital. Physical games still often need installing, but you can delete and reinstall from the disc without a long download. Discs take shelf space and can be scratched. Some consoles are sold without a disc drive, which locks you into digital; decide your format before buying the console.

Selling used games safely

If resale is part of your plan, protect the value. Keep the case, any inserts and the disc or cartridge clean, and sell while the game is still in demand. For private sales, meet in a public place, accept payment you can verify before handing over the game, and be wary of buyers who offer to overpay or ask you to ship before paying. The guide to buying used electronics safely covers the same scams from the other side. Trade-in at a store avoids those risks at a lower price.

Gifts and children

Physical games are easier to wrap and give, and a child can trade a finished game with a friend. Digital gift cards for a console store are simpler to send to someone far away and cannot be lost; check the gift card rules in your province in gift card rules by province. For young children who lose or scratch discs, digital purchases on a parent-managed account may last longer.

Example with made-up inputs: one new release

These numbers are an example with made-up inputs. They are not store prices. A player wants a new release. The disc costs $90 at launch; after finishing it in a month, they sell it for $40, for a net cost of $50. The digital version costs $90 at launch, or a made-up $60 if they wait for a sale three months later. A second game they will replay for years costs $40 on a digital sale, with no plan to resell.

Choosing

For subscriptions that replace buying, see Game Pass versus PS Plus. For hardware, see console new, used or bundle.