Digital game downloads as a way to reduce waste
Barber, Daniel (2019)
2019
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Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-201905077971
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-201905077971
Tiivistelmä
This thesis discusses the popular trend of console gaming, specifically the environmental concerns when purchasing physical copies of games. As physical game copies create waste and are almost unheard of in PC gaming, a greener future for Xbox One gaming could be realised with a full transition to digital game downloads.
This study focuses specifically on the Xbox One console system and the subject of whether physical game copies should be regarded as obsolete. Xbox One gamer’s attitudes, including buying trends, were investigated using a survey which was distributed to popular platforms in which these gamers frequent.
The components of a standard physical game copy and their use of environmental resources were analysed. Their relevance in providing gamers with an adequate medium in which to play games was also compared to the option of digital downloads as an alternative of which the latter does not create physical waste.
Overwhelming favour was shown for digital downloads as the preferred method of purchasing games with answers for convenience, price and preloading as the most common considerations behind this preference. While the survey showed that gamers preferred digital copies, this thesis concluded that there are still a few obstacles preventing a full transition to digital downloads as the sole method of purchasing Xbox One games. The most relevant being collector and nostalgic value, the possibility to trade and share and the security of having physical ownership of one’s games.
In order for gamers to feel more comfortable in transitioning to the greener alternative of digital ownership, further incentives should be given to choose the digital the ownership option over physical ownership. This thesis suggested bundling digital purchases with additional in-game content as one option.
This study focuses specifically on the Xbox One console system and the subject of whether physical game copies should be regarded as obsolete. Xbox One gamer’s attitudes, including buying trends, were investigated using a survey which was distributed to popular platforms in which these gamers frequent.
The components of a standard physical game copy and their use of environmental resources were analysed. Their relevance in providing gamers with an adequate medium in which to play games was also compared to the option of digital downloads as an alternative of which the latter does not create physical waste.
Overwhelming favour was shown for digital downloads as the preferred method of purchasing games with answers for convenience, price and preloading as the most common considerations behind this preference. While the survey showed that gamers preferred digital copies, this thesis concluded that there are still a few obstacles preventing a full transition to digital downloads as the sole method of purchasing Xbox One games. The most relevant being collector and nostalgic value, the possibility to trade and share and the security of having physical ownership of one’s games.
In order for gamers to feel more comfortable in transitioning to the greener alternative of digital ownership, further incentives should be given to choose the digital the ownership option over physical ownership. This thesis suggested bundling digital purchases with additional in-game content as one option.