The recent social distancing measures implemented by the government in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic have lead to an increase in games being purchased digitally rather than in-store. The revenue of digital gaming stores such as Xbox Live and the Playstation store reached a total of <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/mattperez/2020/04/22/report-digital-video-game-revenue-hit-10-billion-in-march-its-best-month-ever/#5986814863d9">$10 billion</a> in March, making it the most lucrative month ever for digital spending. In this blog, we'll take a closer look into the benefits and drawbacks of digital gaming to see what impact this new trend is having on gaming culture around the world.

The benefits of digital gaming

1) Convenient

The main benefit of purchasing games digitally is that you can buy them without ever having to leave your sofa. Some games can even be 'pre-loaded' after you order them, which means that they are available to play the second that the release date hits. You'll never lose or damage a digital video game and you can safely delete and reinstall them again if you want.

2) Eco-friendly

During the manufacturing of physical video games, the copies are packaged with paper covers into plastic boxes to be stacked into numerous cardboard cartons which are placed onto wooden pallets and secured together with film wrap. From there, the games are distributed worldwide via truck, ship and plane, generating a lot of energy and using a lot of materials that are harmful to the environment. Digital games, however, are delivered online to hard drives across the globe, causing a huge reduction in the amount of energy required to produce them.

The drawbacks of digital gaming

1) You can't resell them

One of the most appealing things about purchasing physical copies of video games is that once you're finished with them, you can resell them to stores such as Amazon and GameStop. You are unlikely to get all of your money back, but you will receive some cash to use to buy another game you've got your eye on. If you buy a digital copy of a game, you're stuck with it until its licence expires.

2) You can't show off your collection

Part of the fun of purchasing a physical video game is that you can amass an impressive collection to either display in your home or pass down to friends or family. Passing video games on in their original packaging is far more sentimental than simply offering someone your Xbox Live password!

To learn more about online and mobile gaming or to check out our fantastic new eco-friendly game, browse the rest of our site at Virtue Gaming today.