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Players will always have a preference as to how they collect their games; some like tangible physical copies, and others prefer the transient convenience of a digital library. It's a debate that can get surprisingly heated, as it concerns a subject we are all guilty of getting overly passionate about. It might be all for nought, too, at least according to Ubisoft.
In a recent blog post, Ubisoft addressed some concerns about the future of physical media. Ostensibly to do with Xbox's monstrous $69 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard, Ubisoft's SVP Chris Early, strategic partnerships and business development, was asked what he thought the future of physical media in games looked like, to which he replied:
"There's a collector edition market. There's the aspect of gifting physical items and allowing access for people to be able to easily purchase a game in a store and gift them to their friends or family. Some people will always want to own the physical disk. I just don't think it's going away. Do I think physical sales might get lower over time? Sure, but will it ever completely go away? I don't think so."
Now that's sorted, we can return to the only argument that genuinely matters. Do you, like an enlightened warrior-poet, invert the vertical Y-axis of your DualSense controller? Or do you treat game worlds as depthless, two-dimensional spaces, as is inarguably the case with those using the "normal" setting? Place your hand on top of your head and gently pull back to look up in the comments section below.
[source news.ubisoft.com, via ign.com]
Comments 48
I don't wanna live in a nothing but digital future for gaming
as long as theres a disc option and people have a choice then thats fine with me
@WaveBoy I'd keep the disc-based console and not kneecap one's self with the digital one, on top of spending additional money which could be spent on games.
I used to buy all games on disks, but when PS5 came out i switched. It's more covenient not needing to wait for a courier. Physical copy no longer protects me from losing the game when it's deleted from stores since they also need updates.
The more options the better. I like my physical media and i can get every game cheaper sometimes more than £20 cheaper. £70 upwards for most day 1 releases on the psn store has always been a no go for me and if i buy digital i wait for a sale that brings it more in line with what i can find online. I'm not against digital at all but i still dont understand why ps5 games have to be so expensive via the psn store. I dont see physical media ever going away as not everybody has super fast tinternet or wants the tinternet so there is always going to be a market for it. I see people saying they want an all digital future well crack on then as nobodys stopping you but dont be making choices for those that dont. Thats just being selfish and self centered.
I sold around 200 of my childhood games a couple of years ago as they were just collecting dust in the loft. I don’t care about a physical “collection” as such, and now sell every game once I finish it with only a few rare exceptions. Despite this, I would never switch to a digital product unless on heavy sale, for the exact same reason I wouldn’t burn my cash savings, it’s just a massive waste of money whether I can afford to do it or not.
Even if they are releasing unfinished or broken versions physically, I'll always buy disc if it is available. If not, I'm always considering buying and rather wait for physical (Baldur 3 for example).
Imagine someone, somewhere saying that you can only go out one once a week. Anywhere you like, but just once
Seems okay?
But then the time out gets shorter, the money you have gets smaller.
Still seem okay?
Choices. More the better.
I prefer digital over physical at the moment, but I hope physical remains an option for those who want it for a long time. I also share people's concern that companies like Sony will raise prices if everything becomes digital.
@EVIL-C the insinuation that you're superior for buying physical is why this debate gets needlessly heated.
Always struggled with the convenience part when talking about digital vs physical. Sure when buying a game digitally on PS Store or ordered physically from Amazon when very busy at work and busy family life I get that, but the convenience part for getting up off the sofa grabbing a disc out the case from your collection on the shelf and then putting disc into your console to play I do not understand at all on the convenience part, to me that just sounds really lazy if that part of physical bothers you
I'll accept full digital if the base price for AAA games drops to 20€/$. If not, I'll only buy a console if I can hack it and get all games for free
Yes choice is always great for people,whether you buy digitally or physically.personally I love to buy physical as I personally feel there's a sense of ownership,can buy games for other people at birthdays,Xmas etc,cheaper,can get something back when you want to trade in,and for me at least I enjoy going to swap a game in disc drive and at then take the time to have maybe a break ,cup tea etc etc,some of the special editions are great as when I had preordered rdr2 special edition with the maps etc included and that's just 1 game,if people choose digital then all power to them ,but it's not for me,have a great day and enjoy this great hobby of ours:)
Yeah, they're slowing because less games are getting physical releases. Can't buy a game on disc if they don't publish one.
Publishers don't like physical media because it can be resold. They have a lot of incentive to kill the market. They tried with the Xbox One and that backfired immensely, so now it's happening in the sly.
Those games...why are they not in alphabetical order...it hurts...so much...😭
@pixeldragon,that's great to hear that you'll game for a gd while yet,it is a great hobby especially in winter months,love the ps5 and I don't think we've seen certainly the best lf it yet what with ps4 having a long life,some amazing games on the way I feel for ps5 so many great games for everyone to choose from ,I have a big backlog but rather that than nothing to get on with lol,enjoy:)
Probably because I’m a little older, but I just don’t understand the attachment to the physical media. Unless I’m missing something, isn’t it going to be a lot more cumbersome to play your games in the next generation or two without having some older consoles, assuming they still work, laying about or still plugged in? I mean you have to install the game fully either way and pretty much all platform holders and publishers have agreed that this generation forward games are back compatible. Again I’m in my 40s so maybe just an old guy thing.
Yeah I bet that want that to go away fast I bet 😤😤
@Hooder unfortunately there is not much we can do about it present, it's not taking hold and all the major 3 are doing their best to kill it off slowly
Nabbed Gaurdians vol 3 today on physical 4K to go with 1 and vol 2 on 4K. 95% of the crap on Disney+ I won't ever watch so no need to ever sub monthly, same with Netflix and the many other pay monthly streaming services. The best quality on physical 4K disc too. Cherry pick favs physically and ignore all these multiple streaming subs, no need
The advantages of physical have been eroding for a while now:
I still find it baffling that so many people will pay full price for digital games, though. Why pay $80 for "nothing", when you could at least get something for that money?
My games are ALL physical and i will always keep supporting physical games.
Let's get physical, physical !
#physicalgamesforever 🤟
I went all digital last gen and have hundreds of games. I’ll hardly play those games again. Can’t sell, donate, or share them. Totally waste of money. If you spend a ton of money on video games, I recommend go physical if you have the space. Getting a case to store the games and donating or selling the boxes can help save space.
@JalapenoSpiceLife I honestly believe Sony and Nintendo want to keep physical going. Games publishers on the other hand, many of them seem to be happy to speed it's decline with all the digital only releases lately.
@SgtTruth bit optimistic to assume the games you are buying now will all be backwards compatible forever.
Edit : or available at all even. There's no guarantee how long anything will last. If the owner of your library collapsed your collection would vanish in a puff of smoke.
Last post I promise, but digital will also force everyone to play on recent systems only, retro gaming will be hard to get into (legally).
Consider Nintendo, and their policy of brutally thanos snapping their older stores out of existence. A digital only 3ds or Wii u will basically be worthless to future players, if they didn't build a collection at the time it was 'relevant'. No more trying older games for the first time, because there'll be no way to buy them.
Retro is good.
Better than paying for a license they can take down when they feel like.
@nick_dizel How are you 40 and that gullible still? No one agreed to anything. They can take your games anytime they want. Actually not long ago we got to know that the ps4 has a verification requirement and when they take that down digital games won't work anymore.
Physical has a bigger chance of still working 20 years from now. Even if it's a vanilla edition. Most dlc will stop working cause it can't be verified.
There is also the issue of hard drive space. You can't have all games unless you spend more on hard drives. Again, they might need online verification to work and when they shut down the services for it, you are left with a brick.
So, no, it's not cause you are 40, cause i also am and don't believe digital only is safe at all if you want to keep your games.
People have to realize they don't own anything with digital. Just a license. They'll take down the digital services and your license doesn't do anything anymore. It's a risk you are taking and they will do that once they feel you got no choice but to rebuy it or pay a subscription fee to renew it on whatever new device or service they have.
You own nothing. It's like having to ask daddy if you can play the console and daddy saying you got to do the chores first. They want us infantilised to take advantage.
I prefer physical, especially for movies and anime that I love. I want to have the highest quality versions rather than compressed for streaming. I do prefer physical games as well. I think a lot of people are buying media online instead of walking into a Walmart, Target or Best Buy.
@SgtTruth
Physical games will NEVER die for whatever reason.
We can shape the future with "Love the Physical media" mindset.
@PixelDragon there are a few of these "digital zealots" as you refer to them and they just dont like people to have a choice. Its a disconcerting and depressing view these individuals have and their edgey passive aggressive stiche is bordering on parody and fast becoming a cliche...
I'm an older gamer who sold off or donated most of my game collection (~150) in the last year. My current systems are Switch (sold most of my physicals and buy digital) and PS5 Digital Edition.
I read a number of these comments, and see that many gamers are passionate about wanting to continue to have the option to buy physical.
Not sure if this was already mentioned, as I didn't read all of the comments, but ultimately it will come down to money, and digital distribution is likely much cheaper than physical.
@zupertramp He's not lying, though.
@MindfulGamer So, make digital cheaper. Haven't seen that, so far.
Makes sense with digital for convenience, not getting up all the time (even though licenses/disk could be worked around but console makers won't change it, even when 360 had installing disk data they still made you put the disk in for a fair reason but that's why they won't) among others besides just being cheaper.
How Indie physical fair is what I want to know not just physical for collectors sake of bigger games. What physical figures and more exist and more codes on paper/receipt/digital receipt.
If the content is good then people will pick it up, if for archiving regardless depends who is willing to. Enthusiast products/solutions exist and those people will always be there.
But eh policies encase someone dies and working around account use/ownership will be annoying.
Will digital deluxe offer digital art books more (Horizon Complete Edition did this, I only know as I got it with the Play At Home, already had the regular version physical), digital soundtrack app (you know they will do that they won't let us have the files that easily same with protection on disks) or other interview/behind the scene videos app options.
Or just you know menus to access concept art, OST, interviews in the games then outside on the console menus later (or via update to the games but updates for specific users gets complicated so outside in the console menu makes more sense and because their late releases).
That and well physical, archived, digital (hard drive, cloud not so unless working around to save the games). Online required, no problem rework the code and you can have it work differently to not call for it. What the legal possibilities of that no idea. But for server tied saves singleplayer games you bet it will happen or people don't care enough who knows.
What 1.0 or later prints (GT Sport 1.0, GT Sport PSVR update on disk, etc. or was it only branding? there is no complete edition with all updates and only some modes work offline I've tested to be sure for myself what does when PSN went down due to my firmware update required, was perfect time to test then working around my wifi settings on my console when Sony does it for PSN anyways XD).
(if the discounts are right for me physical is still better due to timing of sales/how after digital discounts their full price, physical they aren't still full price years later like physical is to wait around for the next discount.
Second hand market or lower prices in first hand market (if a game flops like Balan/Agents of Mayhem for example). Even guessing if Loop8 will do the same even if Marvelous I think is a AA publisher.
I got Balan for $20 as I knew it would flop. I could have waited for it to be $2 like Agents of Mayhem now. Or $10 NEW but I wanted to offer $20 NEW at least. I knew it would flop even though I enjoyed the game regardless of it's state. I had different expectations for the game as a Rayman 3 suits successor, not oh this developer, this publisher, this and that state of the game. I've played worse, seen worse. I look at obscure good/bad games all the time.
But I'll never get over reading this comment on physical movies/tv show from this short:
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/PUqPmJDPqsg
saying Quote:
"Not even kidding. At dinner tonight, my cousin was talking about how she didn't have internet because she just moved into a new place and she wasn't able to watch anything on the streaming platforms that she uses without internet. My mom says "somebody should invent something to where you can watch stuff offline". I said "They did. DVD, VHS, Blu-ray, all that stuff." And my cousin said "nobody uses that stuff anymore", and I said "I do". Not so much VHS because I don't have a VCR but definitely discs."
Got to love when even when a solution exists people will ignore it because it's seen a certain way of old, not new and shiny, marketed a certain way (even when they have methods easily to get a DVD/Blu-ray player let alone a console but no a new device to buy up to convince them......) then the practical "IT LITERALLY EXISTS" sigh the world even when offline solutions exist, an 'offline streaming service' or downloads (or just using data to download them if no wifi) or something will probably make them go 'ah finally a solution'. Sigh.
He's right. Physical media won't go away, but Blu-rays will become as niche and rare as LP records and cassette tapes.
Whether one likes it or not, there's no fighting this wave.
@Art_Vandelay blu ray movie especially 4k ones are here to stay. They are not or ever will become niche. Vinyl is making a big come back amongst the audiophile community which is a huge one. Blu rays for games will see its user base diminish somewhat but labeling discs as becoming niche is a huge stretch.
@LightningLeader i can see your point here and its that convenience factor for you that i can appreciate but whereas you dont want a room that looks like a gamestop my spare room is my media room. My wife has the back half of the living room area as her art studio because thats where she spends the majority of her time and my room houses my tv,ps5 and everything gaming related as well as my bass guitars and amp. Never try and disrupt the personal space of an artist as it gets nasty and goes south very,very fast.
@tselliot he's just simply incorrect is all.
@Northern_munkey "Vinyl is making a big come back amongst the audiophile community which is a huge one."
Mate, the term "audiophile" is the textbook definition of niche. But hey, there's no need to get so defensive. I, for one, love VR, which is still considered a niche even though there are tens of millions of users. Quest 2 alone is estimated to have sold over 20 million units.
@Art_Vandelay i was not being defensive as i did not think i was being attacked. I was just responding to your comment.
@zupertramp Wow, you read elitism out of my harmless comment? Next time, engage with substance, not such nonsense.
@EVIL-C kneecapping though? that's not elitism? Like if I was said, "I don't know why you'd kneecap yourself by not getting the new iphone" I know what that sounds like to me. But eh. What do I know? I'm without substance.
@zupertramp Firstly, since when is "kneecapping" an elitist term? I think you've been online too long. Would you prefer downgrade?
Secondly, and this was addressed at Waveboy originally, for someone to throw away their perfectly good and functional PS5, for a new model that has LESS features, while overall spending MORE money? How on earth is advocating for the opposite elitist? I suggested to waveboy to save that money and keep the device they already have, that happens to have more features. And yet somehow, that's elitism..?
A true elitist consumes every new thing, even if it's downgraded just to be cool and current, while spending the most money. I advocated the complete opposite philosophy.
Mother of god... You missed the plot completely. 🤦♂️
@EVIL-C this is hardly worth going back to at this point but I'm rarely on here and don't want things misconstrued. Saying that someone is kneecapping oneself, by taking the digital over the physical, sounds elitist yes. Not just the word on it's own. Because if one wanted the console with a smaller profile, a larger capacity SSD, and has no use for physical media (and can possibly sell the physical for the price of a digital)... I don't know, that just didn't seem like the bad deal you were making it out to be unless you meant that the digital, because it has one less feature, is by default inferior. If that's not the way you meant it then all good. Bygones.
@Cloud39472 why? Just curious.
Ah cool cool. Yeah I guess, having been away from PC for so long I didn't realize they'd gone exclusively digital. Or maybe just mostly digital. I'm still mentally stuck in the days of going into a store and picking up a copy of Warcraft III or whatever.
I would buy games physical, but I'm on PC and everything is digital on PC.
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