With all the new portals and download options, where do you get brand new games most often now?

• I don't need packaging, so I prefer to download most games when possible.
• I go directly to the publisher/developer website and order games online.
• I buy from Amazon or other large distributing houses over the Internet.
• I still like to buy new games from my local retail shop or store.
• I play games within a portal (ie GameTap) so I don't need to buy them individually.
• I don't buy new games. I'd rather wait and get them used online (at eBay or similar).
• I trade for games on used game sites like GameTZ.

I voted 'I still like to buy new games from my local retail shop or store.' because I like to have a hard copy of the game, as well as most of the games I but are for Xbox 360 and that you have no option (except for arcade and games on demand after a few years).

The Void is the first game I bought as a physical copy this year I believe, everything else has been a digital download. It used to be for smaller games only, but now I'm picking up the larger releases that way too. It's just too convenient and the local game shops either don't have the titles yet or have absurd prices. Everything else I order through Play.com because it's often up to 20 € cheaper than in Belgian shops + free delivery.

I suppose I mostly download, and buy a few games from retail stores now and then.

To be honest, I think most game packaging is stupid. Unless the game has tons of goodies and extras, a jewel case is sufficient most of the time. Why are we paying for huge boxes of air with a single CD inside?

Play.com, because it's oh so much cheaper than any place else you can get a boxed copy.

Digital download is one of the worst things that has ever happened to games. The only reason why I still buy original games sometimes is because of their packaging, the covers, the manuals, the picture on the CD. Otherwise, what's the point? To pay for downloading faceless data? Pfff...

Same here. I only buy downloads when there's absolutely no other way, and even then only very reluctantly.

I've never downloaded a game that wasn't freeware. (Except for Indy Desktop Adventures.) I will always choose real media over phantom data any day.

I don't see this as being any different from the old Shareware days when you downloaded or copied a demo, paid the registration fee, and used the unlock code to get the rest of the game.

Besides, many companies don't even include a manual anymore. If you buy a retail copy, all you get is a DVD and the install code.

Hey, watch that mouth now gentleman! >=(

Digital download is the only way I can get original games in this shithole of a country I've been dumped in, so that's a good reason for it to exist right there.

Of course my situation isn't even contemplated in the options of the poll, so I guess noone gives a bleeding shit about us down here. And then they complain about piracy, tsk, tsk...

I download almost all of my new game releases, with the occasional exception. I purchase boxed copies of older titles, but then there is no Mac alternative to GOG. Even if there were, though, I doubt I would be interested.

I buy most of my games from stores, with the odd exception being online stores if I run across some game I want and it's cheap. As for downloads, I've only ventured as far as Xbox Live Arcade games. I like my copy of the game to be a physical thing, and the same goes for my music. CD or vinyl all the way. :)

Exactly the same here. Never bought a download album, I just buy an original physical copy and make my own digital copy. Never bought a download game, unless it's a download only game (XBLA, mostly...and a few XBL indie games). Though I also buy a lot of used games; I only buy new if it's a game I think needs the support, or if it's a really good deal (recent TRU B2G1 for example). And I don't play PC games anyway, so... :)