The decline of physical media in gaming is largely due to the deliberate actions of corporations within the industry. They are actively phasing out physical options and making them less convenient, pushing towards a digital-only future. The motivation is clear: digital games are cheaper to produce and distribute, though those savings are rarely passed on to consumers. More importantly, for console manufacturers, this shift offers unprecedented control over game distribution. Unlike open platforms like PC, which are already mostly digital, consoles operate within closed ecosystems, limiting consumers to a single storefront unless they purchase physical copies. Because of this, elimination of physical media not only strips players of true ownership of their purchases-including the ability to resell or lend games-but also stifles competition. It wipes out third-party retailers and kills the second-hand market. Ultimately, the disappearance of physical games on consoles would mean losing ownership rights and being locked into whatever price the platform holder sets, with no opportunity to find cheaper alternatives or recoup any value through resale. It also makes it impossible to legally acquire games that are delisted/out of print.
I love physical cash and I love my physical disc collection. I believe if you buy physical you should also get a digital copy of the game or movie for free.
Im so happy we still have physical games I have Internet but refuse to connect my consoles online I used to when I was younger but Ive gotten fed up with being constantly advertised towards to buy the newest thing and having updates constantly cramed down my throat. Now I just play whats on the disc and its so nice to just pop the game in let it copy to the hard drive and have a good time without any of the extra nonsense. If physical disappears I am 100 percent a retro gamer at that point.
I assume people already mentioned GOG because that does actually ensure pc games can be played in the future (no online requirement or DRM). However that doesn't allow legal resale or apply to consoles so it is not a solution unfortunately. Great video!
Personally i believe that it just makes releases easier for the companies cause if they release a game that's really really bad they can kind of fix it as they go along but if they sell you a really really bad disc they sell a couple copies and that's it. It's all about the money.
Nintendo recently announced that they will continue making physical media for their successor to the Switch, so hope still does endure, at least on the Nintendo side.
Nintendo will surely be he last company still making physical games for consoles but I dont expect them to keep that formula forever either,I hope PS6 still has physical though
I mean the joke would have landed at the beginning if you didn't already have to download the game to the hard drive either way. It'd be funnier if it was a switch game because it actually has the game on the cartridge and not played through the hard drive. Either way I like knowing that I get to keep what I actually buy versus buying a digitally and it collecting dust that I cannot resell in value
They incorporate the instauction manual into the game making you pay for about 15% of just tutorials and about 30% of the game, then they sell you the rest in dlc 😂
Digital Games / Movies dont exist for me. I just bought Black Myth Wukong finaly. I could have all digital my internet is blasing fast, but because it is so important i dont buy anything digital.
Video Game companies should get used to me pirating their games. It's not only the lack of physical media but all the other nonsense as well. I stopped bothering with consoles after 7th gen since the finished product wasn't on the disc at that point anyway. The game still needed a 50GB Patch and 3 DLC's to be considered a finished product. The physical game was just a glorified coaster. And physical games on PC was long dead also. Steam is/was a compromise I can live with. But when excessive DRM like Denuvo which is hampering performance. And mandatory extra launchers and accounts like Uplay or EA's Origin is requiered to even install and launch the game, not to mention requiered online connectivity for singleplayer games I've had enough. Then I sail the high seas instead. I have no problems paying money for good honest content and quality upfront videogames. Ideally physical, but since that is an option which was unwillingly taken away from me under the guise of "everything would get cheaper and better", Steam and GOG is what I have to deal with. And the ONLY platforms I do deal with when the aforementioned prerequisites like no extra launcher, Denuvo etc is met. I payed full price for Baldurs Gate 3 and don't regret it. There are many great indie and AA titles which would have a harder time excisting if they were bound to physical media. But AAA can suck it. They charge for the premium physical product one would expect to get in your hands 15 years ago. But deliver slop and early access broken products which is far surpassed by actual low priced early access indie devs in all departments except from photorealistic graphics. I spend more money on physical retro games than I do on modern releases nowadays. Because many of those games despite being dated now were innovative for their time and strived to deliver the best product and experience as possible for the hadware/system it was made for. A feeling I rarely get from modern big budget games. But also because the physical aspect is part of the joy of buying games for me. Not having it physical decreases the value for me and gives me less incentive to fork out money. If it's digital only (which everything on PC is) I'm more inclined to just wait for a massive Steam sale before I buy.
The decline of physical media in gaming is largely due to the deliberate actions of corporations within the industry. They are actively phasing out physical options and making them less convenient, pushing towards a digital-only future. The motivation is clear: digital games are cheaper to produce and distribute, though those savings are rarely passed on to consumers. More importantly, for console manufacturers, this shift offers unprecedented control over game distribution.
Unlike open platforms like PC, which are already mostly digital, consoles operate within closed ecosystems, limiting consumers to a single storefront unless they purchase physical copies. Because of this, elimination of physical media not only strips players of true ownership of their purchases-including the ability to resell or lend games-but also stifles competition. It wipes out third-party retailers and kills the second-hand market. Ultimately, the disappearance of physical games on consoles would mean losing ownership rights and being locked into whatever price the platform holder sets, with no opportunity to find cheaper alternatives or recoup any value through resale. It also makes it impossible to legally acquire games that are delisted/out of print.
Death of Physical Games is death of ownership.
In this day and age especially, I think it is a good thing to recognize the importance of physical media.
We must never forget.
I have over 7300 movies and 500 games all physical ❤
You are the Goat 😮💨🔥🔥
🐐🐐🐐🐐🐐🐐
There's also the advantage of being able to sell and buy it used. By far the biggest advantage these days.
Hah, totally slipped my mind. That's a big bonus for sure.
3:26 Off topic but it’s cool to know that you play Xenoblade Chronicles, those games are peak.
Great games for sure.
Xenoblade games are awesome
I love physical cash and I love my physical disc collection. I believe if you buy physical you should also get a digital copy of the game or movie for free.
Physical is the way.
Im so happy we still have physical games I have Internet but refuse to connect my consoles online I used to when I was younger but Ive gotten fed up with being constantly advertised towards to buy the newest thing and having updates constantly cramed down my throat.
Now I just play whats on the disc and its so nice to just pop the game in let it copy to the hard drive and have a good time without any of the extra nonsense. If physical disappears I am 100 percent a retro gamer at that point.
“Feel comfortable by not owning Ubisoft Slop you bought for £70” 💀💀💀💀
Ouch.
Its not an insult
I assume people already mentioned GOG because that does actually ensure pc games can be played in the future (no online requirement or DRM). However that doesn't allow legal resale or apply to consoles so it is not a solution unfortunately. Great video!
Thanks mate.
Personally i believe that it just makes releases easier for the companies cause if they release a game that's really really bad they can kind of fix it as they go along but if they sell you a really really bad disc they sell a couple copies and that's it.
It's all about the money.
Well you can always still patch the game regardless?
Nintendo recently announced that they will continue making physical media for their successor to the Switch, so hope still does endure, at least on the Nintendo side.
🙄 home formats are invincible and it is proven that they are superior to digital friend Nintendo is not the only one old
I would be shocked if Nintendo stopped making Physical Games.
@@BraveBladeProductionsThey are not the only ones
Nintendo will surely be he last company still making physical games for consoles but I dont expect them to keep that formula forever either,I hope PS6 still has physical though
@@BraveBladeProductionsThey won’t anytime soon. That is why I’m sticking with them and pc long term.
Unfortunately, some editions leave a lot to be desired, but the home format is vastly superior.
Indeed.
@@BraveBladeProductions It's a shame that some people have a little low IQ.
I have close to 450 Xbox 360 games and close to a 1000 DVDs i am not giving up on physical collecting
Awesome Stuff!
@@BraveBladeProductions and I subb to your channel
I still prefer to buy physical games on consoles and I do buy my games on steam through the steam storefront.
To be fair Steam has killer deals.
I mean the joke would have landed at the beginning if you didn't already have to download the game to the hard drive either way. It'd be funnier if it was a switch game because it actually has the game on the cartridge and not played through the hard drive. Either way I like knowing that I get to keep what I actually buy versus buying a digitally and it collecting dust that I cannot resell in value
I appreciate constructive criticism thank you.
They incorporate the instauction manual into the game making you pay for about 15% of just tutorials and about 30% of the game, then they sell you the rest in dlc 😂
Sounds about right.
Physical is best
Hell yeah.
I won’t buy games anymore
Digital Games / Movies dont exist for me. I just bought Black Myth Wukong finaly. I could have all digital my internet is blasing fast, but because it is so important i dont buy anything digital.
Amen.
Once everything goes digital no one will buy it.
Can't say I agree.
Video Game companies should get used to me pirating their games.
It's not only the lack of physical media but all the other nonsense as well. I stopped bothering with consoles after 7th gen since the finished product wasn't on the disc at that point anyway. The game still needed a 50GB Patch and 3 DLC's to be considered a finished product. The physical game was just a glorified coaster. And physical games on PC was long dead also. Steam is/was a compromise I can live with. But when excessive DRM like Denuvo which is hampering performance. And mandatory extra launchers and accounts like Uplay or EA's Origin is requiered to even install and launch the game, not to mention requiered online connectivity for singleplayer games I've had enough. Then I sail the high seas instead.
I have no problems paying money for good honest content and quality upfront videogames. Ideally physical, but since that is an option which was unwillingly taken away from me under the guise of "everything would get cheaper and better", Steam and GOG is what I have to deal with. And the ONLY platforms I do deal with when the aforementioned prerequisites like no extra launcher, Denuvo etc is met.
I payed full price for Baldurs Gate 3 and don't regret it. There are many great indie and AA titles which would have a harder time excisting if they were bound to physical media. But AAA can suck it. They charge for the premium physical product one would expect to get in your hands 15 years ago. But deliver slop and early access broken products which is far surpassed by actual low priced early access indie devs in all departments except from photorealistic graphics.
I spend more money on physical retro games than I do on modern releases nowadays. Because many of those games despite being dated now were innovative for their time and strived to deliver the best product and experience as possible for the hadware/system it was made for. A feeling I rarely get from modern big budget games. But also because the physical aspect is part of the joy of buying games for me. Not having it physical decreases the value for me and gives me less incentive to fork out money. If it's digital only (which everything on PC is) I'm more inclined to just wait for a massive Steam sale before I buy.
If you build it they will come.
Most physical games are of a smaller publisher - with all or, most of the content on the disc.
Yep.