Owning physical copies of your favorite games may be a thing of the past, as more and more publishers are promoting digital-only content. Here’s why it seems like this is the direction we’re headed in – and why I have major doubts about that vision of our future.
Consoles Without Disc Drives
Back in the days, all consoles came equipped with some sort of drive to read physical media. Whether it was the Nintendo 64 reading cartridges or the PlayStation 4 spinning discs, all versions of these consoles were capable of reading physical media. This is no longer true for the current console generation, as both Sony and Microsoft offer digital-only versions of their new-gen systems.
For Xbox, this comes in the form of the Xbox Series S, which doesn’t include an optical drive and is slightly less powerful than the Xbox Series X. For PlayStation, it’s the PS5 Digital Edition, which is just as powerful as the PS5 but can only play digital content.
What’s even more disappointing, however, is the upcoming PS5 Pro. There’s only one version of the PS5 Pro available, and it doesn’t have a disc drive — so if you want to play any physical games on the console, you need to pick up a disc drive (sold separately for $80). This is one of the reasons I won’t be upgrading to the PS5 Pro, although the shocking $700 price tag is reason enough to stay away.
The pattern of cutting out physical media is clear. Optical drives and cartridge readers used to be a necessity for gaming consoles. As of today, they’re starting to feel like an afterthought. And if you’re a fan of buying and selling used games or have had serious concerns about game preservation over the years, it’s a little worrisome to see what’s happening.
The growing popularity of streaming services
Like them or not, streaming services like Game Pass Ultimate and PlayStation Plus are hugely popular. Game Pass has racked up over 34 million subscribers through February 2024, while all tiers of PlayStation Plus have surpassed 47 million. Becoming a member of either service gives you affordable access to a growing catalog of video games, though members technically don’t own any of the games they’re playing. Cancel your subscription, and your access to the games will end.
As digital services like these continue to gain momentum, they show companies that people are willing to sign up for a paid service indefinitely to play games, rather than making a one-time purchase.
There are also a number of big releases coming to these platforms — Game Pass will offer access to blockbusters like Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, Stalker 2, and Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 — discouraging people from buying their own copies. After all, if you already have access to a game, why would you feel the need to buy a standalone version?
Digital sales continue to rise
The video game industry has seen impressive growth over the past few decades, with estimates putting the market size at around $217 billion in 2022. Another study claims that about 95% of all gaming revenue comes from digital sources. That’s a staggering number, even if it’s due to mobile purchases and in-game microtransactions.
Buying digital video games is convenient for buyers. You don’t have to go to your local brick-and-mortar shop to purchase a game, and with most of the world having access to high-speed internet, entire games can be downloaded in minutes.
This convenience is nice, but it also means that once you’ve finished a game, you won’t be able to sell it. Trading in physical games is a great way to reduce the cost of this hobby, which can get expensive if you’re buying all the big releases.
Distribution is cheap
Gaming companies like to cut expenses, and the distribution associated with physical video games is a huge expense. Before you can buy a physical game, it has to be manufactured and shipped across the country to your local store. All of this costs money, and it’s definitely not cheap. Of course, there are some hidden costs associated with selling digital games, but it’s hard to argue that it’s more expensive.