Eco-friendly game cases: Love or loathe them?

[gf78]

I hate these eco-friendly game cases.  Don't get me wrong, I recycle and believe in not wasting resources 100%.  But c'mon, there is more plastic in a Lays Stax can than current game cases, especially Wii U cases.  I hate those blank cut-outs.  If your not extremely careful, you can ruin your cover art because pressing on the case in the wrong spot will dent the paper in. 

I'm all for recycling as I already stated.  But most people who buy $60 video games aren't going to pitch the keepcase out in the trash.  Thoughts?

[argyle]

I agree 100%.  Like you said, a game case is not something that's disposable IMO, so it makes no sense to make them that way. I'm really glad Sony hasn't gone that route yet but it looks like they're the only holdout. I was actually trying to find some non "eco friendly" replacement cases for my Wii U games recently for the very reason you stated, so I wouldn't accidentally damage the cover art. I didn't have any luck finding any that were reasonably priced tho - if anyone else knows of a good source for them, please let me know.

[bikingjahuty]

I prefer the way the cases used to be, but the eco-friendly ones don't bother me.

[gf78]

Another tied-in issue I have these days is the lack of manuals for games.  Ok, I get it with the eco-friendly trend and the manuals are almost always on the disc so it's no biggie.  But companies do this, then jam 4 or 5 little one-page pamphlets into the box advertising other crap they are peddling.  I guess they feel being environmentally friendly is good as long as it's saving them a buck by not printing a manual, but printing little manual-sized advertisements is perfectly acceptable.  Now those, I usually toss them because they are just obnoxious and annoying. 

[bikingjahuty]

Another tied-in issue I have these days is the lack of manuals for games.  Ok, I get it with the eco-friendly trend and the manuals are almost always on the disc so it's no biggie.  But companies do this, then jam 4 or 5 little one-page pamphlets into the box advertising other crap they are peddling.  I guess they feel being environmentally friendly is good as long as it's saving them a buck by not printing a manual, but printing little manual-sized advertisements is perfectly acceptable.  Now those, I usually toss them because they are just obnoxious and annoying.

THIS irritates me way more than the eco cases. I don't buy that companies are doing this for the environment, but rather a way to save a few cents per game. It is ridiculous and really wish more companies would have substantial manuals with their games, not this digital crap.

[badATchaos]

If you're not careful you'll ruin them?
Sure the newer cases are a little more flimsy but they're not frisbees. You shouldn't be throwing around games or game systems.
They could care less about the environment. They're just saving money by using less plastic. They use the recycle symbol in the cut-outs to invoke the idea.

Fun little article(s) from a few years ago
http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/nintendo-still-most-eco-unfriendly-electronics-company-greenpeace_4
http://www.greenpeace.org/usa/en/news-and-blogs/news/nintendo-microsoft-and-philip/

Basically the "eco-friendly" cases are all for PR.

[gf78]

If you're not careful you'll ruin them?
Sure the newer cases are a little more flimsy but they're not frisbees. You shouldn't be throwing around games or game systems.

I think you misunderstood me.  What I meant was that just by squeezing the front and back of these game cases to get them to snap shut, if you press in the wrong area it wind make an indentation in the cover art.  To me, this is damaging the cover art and you no longer have a "mint" game, you have a game with a crease/ding/indentation in your cover art because it was poorly designed. 

[badATchaos]

I think you misunderstood me.  What I meant was that just by squeezing the front and back of these game cases to get them to snap shut, if you press in the wrong area it wind make an indentation in the cover art.  To me, this is damaging the cover art and you no longer have a "mint" game, you have a game with a crease/ding/indentation in your cover art because it was poorly designed.

Yeah... I kinda see where you're coming from with that. That was just me being a little sarcastic.

[gf78]

LOL...that's ok. 

[abe]

I'm not a huge fan of those eco-friendly cases, but I like it when we get cool stuff like the inside boxart with some 3DS games.



I wish more 3DS games did this.

[burningdoom]

I hate them. They should at least use enough hard plastic to cover the whole case. That part where the recyclable symbol is at is covered just in the soft plastic that surrounds the case to hold in the artwork. So it just feels cheap and flimsy.

Not like it really matter much anymore, though. You're lucky to even get a manual anymore. And when you do, you're lucky if it's longer than 3 pages.

[Limeface]

The cases themselves I don't mind, they serve their purpose. Are they cheap? Yes. What I hate is what was already mentioned, the artwork creases from the spaces.  I don't want the artwork to get smashed just from sitting on a shelf. This happens all the time when I'm shopping for used games. But even the solid PS3 cases will crease the artwork on the back sometimes.
As for manuals, I'll take the little phamplet with the cover art and basic controls over an all digital manual. I want to have something to put in the manual space. 

[Warmsignal]

Eco cases are the pits. They ruin artwork, but I'm not even sure how much that matters now that the tissue thin artwork ruins itself by warping before it ever hits store shelves (I'm especially looking at you, recent PS3 games), that drives me crazy! It's new, why does it have to look horrible?  :'(

The best strategy is to transplant your new games into the original style game cases, if you can find them. Not sure what you could do for Wii U. Current packaging is becoming so cheap, in a few years time it will be difficult to find any that are still in good condition.

[retroone]

They are a bit bothersome. They much flimsier and weaker than the old ones. I pretty sure these won't survive a flight of stairs without a scratch.

[gf78]

Eco cases are the pits. They ruin artwork, but I'm not even sure how much that matters now that the tissue thin artwork ruins itself by warping before it ever hits store shelves (I'm especially looking at you, recent PS3 games), that drives me crazy! It's new, why does it have to look horrible?  :'(

The best strategy is to transplant your new games into the original style game cases, if you can find them. Not sure what you could do for Wii U. Current packaging is becoming so cheap, in a few years time it will be difficult to find any that are still in good condition.

Publishers started with the crappy paper around 2004 during the PS2/Gamecube/Xbox era and it's only gotten worse since then.  The old inserts were almost a cardstock.  Compare an early PS2 game like Tekken Tag Tournament to a later title like Mega Man X Collection for an example. 

If you want to see how bad it has become, just look at old DVD cases compared to a new one.  Aside from the eco-friendly cutouts, the new cases are altogether thinner.  The clear plastic wrap around the outside that holds the art insert in is also much flimsier than the old cases and it scratches easier. 

The only game cases remotely durable today are PS3 and PS4 cases.  Well, Vita cases are pretty tough too.  The Wii and Wii U cases feel like they will just fall apart in a stiff breeze.  The Xbox One cases have the added benefit of flimsiness and being made ass-backwards.