video game boxes : do we still need them ?

Posted by dummysystem on August 3, 2012 09:27 am 44

I bought yesterday a physical version BlazBlue on Vita ( originally I was planning to get the digital one but not enough space on my 8 GB card, the game is ~ 3.3GB) and the first thing I've done back home was to throw the box.

All my previous PSP's and DS/3DS video game boxes shared the same fate and this is even more true for the Vita's boxes because the box :

  • is so tiny
  • contains ONLY the game, there is no manual

So far, all the Vita games have the digital manual and for fighting games, moves are in the game menu itself ( but this is not new nor exclusive to the Vita since also PS3 games contains more or less now no manual )

So why keep these big boxes ?

  • games might be cheaper : I found this chart , but from 2010 so it might be outdated) showing that 10% of a $50 game is for the game.
Box_sales_medium

via unsubject.files.wordpress.com

  • cheap argument : you save the planet because less plastic is produced ( yeah I told you it's a cheap argument)
  • I don't feel the need to show the entire world ( well … only the people coming to my place) my video game collection so there's no need to buy a shelf
  • below is the box where my PSP/DS games live now : it's convenient, takes less place
246mj4x_medium

via i48.tinypic.com

  • the actual value of a video game is its content - the game - so why not only buy the essential ?

I understand that collector edition

Skyrim85_medium

via www.blogcdn.com

( and I have some of them ) you want to keep the box because it's gorgeous but otherwise, and maybe with a cloud gaming soon, boxes will become obsolete.

What's your opinion ?

ps : whoa, my first post