Physical media is ‘almost’ dead
For several years, predictions about the death of physical media have been around. The era of streaming has significantly impacted the sales of DVDs, Blu-rays, and 4K discs. Meanwhile, digital distribution has also chipped away at physical game sales.
Companies like Sony and Microsoft have further contributed to this shift by introducing all-digital versions of their gaming consoles. However, there remains a huge number of gamers, who continue to favour physical media over digital formats.
While digital releases offer certain advantages, they come with their fair share of drawbacks. Gamers who purchase a digital game end up being unable to resell it through platforms like GameStop or eBay.
Additionally, the eventual discontinuation of digital storefronts means that newcomers won’t be able to access these games.
In response to this changing landscape, companies such as Limited Run Games and Super Rare Games have decided to counter the growing dominance of digital media. These game makers offer limited print physical releases for games that might otherwise go without them. These companies have found success among gamers, and certain releases can command high prices on the secondary market.
While companies like Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo have incentives to transition away from physical media, many gamers have valid reasons to resist an all-digital future.
The rise of video game streaming
Video game streaming is yet to get widespread adoption, while companies like Ubisoft are making huge bets on its potential as the next big trend. Recently, Ubisoft signed an agreement with Microsoft for the rights to stream Activision’s games.
Game streaming offers several advantages, such as enabling consoles to run games that would otherwise exceed their hardware capabilities. For example, this helped gamers for playing titles like Microsoft Flight Simulator on the Xbox One.
However, it also comes with drawbacks; for instance, internet outages could disrupt players’ access to the games they’ve purchased. Additionally, in certain regions, inadequate internet quality renders the streaming of certain games unfeasible.