VGCollect Forum

General and Gaming => Modern Video Games => Topic started by: topspot123 on October 16, 2012, 05:21:31 pm

Title: What do you think? Are free to play games part of your collection?
Post by: topspot123 on October 16, 2012, 05:21:31 pm
There are so many free to play games currently and more coming all of the time.  Do you consider these as a part of your collection?  Do they only count if you are currently or have ever been an active player of that game?

I don't game much on PC, but I 'purchased' Team Fortress 2 on Steam when it went free to play.  I haven't downloaded it or played it, but I still consider it mine.

By that logic, any freemium game is potentially mine.  Does my collection get credit for League of Legends?

What are your thoughts?  Am I seriously over thinking this?  Regular packaged games are so much easier.





EDIT:  After posting this I sort of realized that this post is also about satisfying the hoarder portion of my brain.  I want to take 'ownership' of these things so they are part of my 'collection'.  Sorry, I don't mean to go all pop psychology on you.

Title: Re: What do you think? Are free to play games part of your collection?
Post by: zing on October 16, 2012, 06:25:40 pm
I wouldn't count any free game. If anyone can own it, then why bother? I wouldn't even count online-only games that I did purchase at retail.
Title: Re: What do you think? Are free to play games part of your collection?
Post by: kimimi on October 17, 2012, 12:33:10 am
It depends on the game for me - I would list say... Everquest/Aion, etc because they are "proper" MMOs that just happen to have a free to play option. I'd also list iOS games like Hyakku Oni Taisen Emaki (the sequel to the ace Samurai Bloodshow) even though it's a freemium title because I feel it's got the quality of a "real" game and I've invested a lot of time in it.

I wouldn't however consider those branded free games (the ones given away by drink/food companies and similar) as part of a collection as I personally feel they're nothing more than thinly-veiled marketing material even if in the strictest sense they are a playable game.

So I suppose at the end of the day it's down to intent for me - was it created to be a game in it's own right that just happens to be free to play (or at least free to buy) or was it created as an advert for another product or to drive traffic to a particular site?
Title: Re: What do you think? Are free to play games part of your collection?
Post by: jcalder8 on October 17, 2012, 01:21:39 am
I count games that I have paid for even if they have become free to play.

If a game has been released as free to play I would only count it if I have downloaded it and invested time into it. I played the LOTR MMO for about an hour and got bored so I never added it in. If on the other hand I put in 20 hours I would probably consider it to be part of my collection, especially if I had spent real money on in game items.
Title: Re: What do you think? Are free to play games part of your collection?
Post by: upondoom on October 17, 2012, 07:27:29 am
I don't count digital games at all.
Title: Re: What do you think? Are free to play games part of your collection?
Post by: scott on October 17, 2012, 09:22:47 am
It's possible that I have a couple free to play games listed in my collection. Mostly because when we started, Matt converted my collection from our old site's "now playing" list. I've never bothered to go back and clean it up though.

I do list my digital games though. So anything from Steam, XBLA, PSN, Nintendo's eShop all get listed.  I do have some free apps for my 3DS listed, mainly so I can quick glance at the list.
Title: Re: What do you think? Are free to play games part of your collection?
Post by: exonerator on October 17, 2012, 06:02:11 pm
I don't count digital games at all.
Same here.
Title: Re: What do you think? Are free to play games part of your collection?
Post by: donovon on October 17, 2012, 08:01:11 pm
I don't count digital games at all.
Same here.

What if it is only offered as digital?
Title: Re: What do you think? Are free to play games part of your collection?
Post by: topspot123 on October 17, 2012, 11:06:28 pm
I don't count digital games at all.
Same here.

What if it is only offered as digital?

I haven't actually added my digital only games yet either.  In a future update to the site we are expecting to allow user defined lists.  When I can have a separate list for physical and digital games, I'll be adding my Steam, Onlive, PSN, XBLA, etc. games to my collection.  That's why I'm contemplating on these free to play games. 
Title: Re: What do you think? Are free to play games part of your collection?
Post by: foxhack on October 17, 2012, 11:30:08 pm
I don't count digital games at all.
Same here.
Boooooooooooo. :P

I personally do IF I actively play them.
Title: Re: What do you think? Are free to play games part of your collection?
Post by: phlegeth on October 20, 2012, 08:16:57 pm

I personally do IF I actively play them.

That's how I am.  I mean, I got a few games in bundles where I just wanted one of them and I haven't added them let alone install them.
Title: Re: What do you think? Are free to play games part of your collection?
Post by: foxhack on October 23, 2012, 01:56:36 pm
... why the heck was this thread locked? *unlocks*
Title: Re: What do you think? Are free to play games part of your collection?
Post by: disgaeniac on October 23, 2012, 02:21:48 pm
... why the heck was this thread locked? *unlocks*

Huh?!

Never even noticed that it *was* locked :P
Title: Re: What do you think? Are free to play games part of your collection?
Post by: soera on October 23, 2012, 02:50:25 pm
Games are games ... cant see why they would not be part of your collection just cause they are free to play. The games in my game room are all free to play the moment I plug them into their respective console.
Title: Re: What do you think? Are free to play games part of your collection?
Post by: disgaeniac on October 23, 2012, 02:58:31 pm
I'd vote:

"Personal Preference" -

If you want them in there...awesome; if not, that's awesome too  8)
Title: Re: What do you think? Are free to play games part of your collection?
Post by: jcalder8 on October 23, 2012, 10:59:51 pm
I'd vote:

"Personal Preference" -

If you want them in there...awesome; if not, that's awesome too  8)
No everyone must agree with me!!! RAWR!!!!

That is the way of the internet
Title: Re: What do you think? Are free to play games part of your collection?
Post by: disgaeniac on October 24, 2012, 09:52:38 am
I'd vote:

"Personal Preference" -

If you want them in there...awesome; if not, that's awesome too  8)
No everyone must agree with me!!! RAWR!!!!

That is the way of the internet

That is indeed (sadly), the "Way of teh Interwebz"...

Nice "RAWR"; though
 ;)
Title: Re: What do you think? Are free to play games part of your collection?
Post by: exonerator on October 24, 2012, 03:24:37 pm
I don't count digital games at all.
Same here.

What if it is only offered as digital?
Then I don't even purchase it.
Title: Re: What do you think? Are free to play games part of your collection?
Post by: darko on October 30, 2012, 02:10:39 pm
There have been very few instances that I've found something so amazing in a digital only format that I felt the need to purchase it. I don't really consider anything that I don't possess a physical copy of a true part of my collection.
Title: Re: What do you think? Are free to play games part of your collection?
Post by: topspot123 on October 30, 2012, 04:46:48 pm
There have been very few instances that I've found something so amazing in a digital only format that I felt the need to purchase it. I don't really consider anything that I don't possess a physical copy of a true part of my collection.

I've basically felt the same way, but I'm softening on that position as the medium changes.  When possible and feasible I would always choose physical over digital as far as console/handheld games are concerned.  On PC, I don't care as much, but I really only buy smaller games there anyway, not AAA games.   At the end of the day, it's still just ones and zeros, weather they're on an EPROM, an optical disc, or a hard disk, I am finding that I care less and less as long as I can play it.
Title: Re: What do you think? Are free to play games part of your collection?
Post by: theflea on November 01, 2012, 01:11:14 am
personally I think anything you don't own a physical copy of (cartridge, disc or card) shouldn't be counted in your collection. buy or free. I don't count arcade games i buy off Xbox Live because there's no value for buy or trade. I also wouldn't count a game like Skyrim if I downloaded the game and don't have the original disc. It's like downloading an emulator for classic games then claiming you own all these games in your collection.