why new games barely includes manual anymore?

[Junior]

i look to my old steam games and they usually have a manual, does the physical copies don't have manual anymore? (i don't purchase physical copys since 2012 i think just wanted to know)

[Crazy Tiger]

They don't, indeed. Most games nowadays have a tutorial.

[Chika Ogiue]

Depends entirely on the game and the region. The Japanese PS5 (and I expect the Switch version, too) physical release of Trinity Trigger has a proper printed 31 page manual. And that was released in September 2022.

[Pscht]

Originally posted by Junior:

(i don't purchase physical copys since 2012

You might be onto something

[Brian9824]

Part of it is the manuals add significant weight which can increase shipping/transportation costs, as well as cost more to make. So removing them adds up to their savings. Which to be fair also reflects in the fact that game prices have largely remained static over the last 30 years.

Plus as mentioned most games have tutorials built in now so they aren't really required, and its easy to find info on the internet now compared to the past.

[Cathulhu]

Not to mention printed manuals can be out of date due to updates to the game.
An in-game manual or tutorial can be updated.

[Krypto]

While it is certainly something I miss about physical games, it's understandable since it's cheaper and easier to include a digital manual in the game itself, rather than needing to create a book that fits inside the case - more expensive if the manual is full color too.

[Pierce Dalton]

Cost of production + most people didn't read them anyway, so it's wasted money for game companies.

[J4MESOX4D]

Most physical games don't even have the full game on a disc these days especially AAA titles, let alone a manual. Manuals began to fizzle out in the late 2000's and most of those were wafer thin with only small print and information about controls and other options. Waste of money to produce and pack especially when users can figure things out by playing or searching the web.

It's a bit of a shame really - used to love reading the manuals included in big box PC games.

[lsdninja]

Originally posted by J4MESOX4D:

It's a bit of a shame really - used to love reading the manuals included in big box PC games.

The effort Blizzard used to put in to their manuals was amazing.

[Pierce Dalton]

Originally posted by lsdninja:

Originally posted by J4MESOX4D:

It's a bit of a shame really - used to love reading the manuals included in big box PC games.

The effort Blizzard used to put in to their manuals was amazing.

Rockstar too. GTA games and Red Dead even had a big map of the game.

[J4MESOX4D]

Originally posted by Pierce Dalton:

Originally posted by lsdninja:

The effort Blizzard used to put in to their manuals was amazing.

Rockstar too. GTA games and Red Dead even had a big map of the game.

Their PC release of GTA V was actually pretty insane too in terms of the packaging https://i.imgur.com/okhAsrC.png

I remember going round people's houses and everyone had a Liberty City, Vice City and San Andreas map poster on their wall!

[Low Standards]

PC games had the most elaborate manuals and large boxes. Anyone remember Unreal Tournament (1st) and the Infocom days. Time to start searching on Ebay.

[Zarineth]

I liked the manual in the first Battle of the Middle Earth. It had short description of all units with in-game portraits. But I must admit, that after I learned how to install games, I didn't really read manuals anymore.

[miakisfan]

I used to love getting manuals with my games. I always read through them before playing.

Now what I do is check the page on my game library for a manual and download it then save it to a specific file I have for them on my hard drive. If I can't get one there I'll do a search for that specific game online and download it if it exists and read them that way.

Tutorials can be nice but they aren't always the end all be all of describing how a game plays.

[Low Standards]

Originally posted by miakisfan:

I used to love getting manuals with my games. I always read through them before playing.

Now what I do is check the page on my game library for a manual and download it then save it to a specific file I have for them on my hard drive. If I can't get one there I'll do a search for that specific game online and download it if it exists and read them that way.

Tutorials can be nice but they aren't always the end all be all of describing how a game plays.

Wow I thought my standards were bad.