Korean manufacturer LG has announced that it’s discontinuing the production of all its standalone Blu-ray and UHD Blu-ray players, following in the footsteps of Samsung and Oppo. The decision sounds yet another death knell for physical media, which has been on the decline for some years now.
In a statement to Flat Panels HD, the company didn’t completely confirm a global exit from the optical disc player market, potentially leaving the door open for future devices should Blu-ray’s fortunes improve. But for now, it’ll run down its existing inventory of players, and that’ll be that.
Most manufacturers like Sony and Panasonic have not released new Blu-ray models since 2018, and the PS5 remains arguably one of the highest-profile players on the market today.
But even PlayStation has been slowly moving away from physical media. The PS5 Pro doesn’t ship with a disc drive by default, though an optional unit can be attached to allow for the use of boxed games. These have been in short supply recently, with Sony failing to provide enough stock to support the demand.
Generally, the vast majority of PlayStation software these days is purchased through the PS Store, but around 25% of games are still purchased on Blu-ray, which is not an insignificant number. We believe Sony will continue to support physical media, even if it is through an optional attachment like with the PS5 Pro.
But it’s clear the entire entertainment industry is heading in one direction, and that signals all sorts of potential concerns.
In the gaming industry, preservation is already an enormous issue, considering how many games rely on server-side interactions. Some titles, like The Crew, simply cease to play once the servers are switched off. In defence of developer Ivory Tower, it is taking steps to ensure that situation doesn’t reoccur with The Crew 2.
However, as consumers we should question what will happen when, one day, PSN is no longer available. While it’s not something necessarily worth worrying about today, it’s a legitimate concern for the future. Our original PS1 games may need a puff of breath and rub against our shirt sometimes, but they still generally function as they always have, 30 years later. It’s hard to imagine the library of the PS6 persisting for 30 years, isn’t it?
As we mentioned above, we reckon Sony is still seeing just enough success from physical media to persist with it for at least one more generation, but the market share for boxed games is only going to continue to decline from here.
And that’s a worrying trend for those who still appreciate physical ownership of their games.
Do you still buy physical video games? (2,156 votes)
- Yes, I only buy physical video games
- I do, but I also buy digital games too
- No, I only purchase games digitally now
Do you think PS6 will have a disc drive? (1,993 votes)
- Yes, it'll be included with the console
- It won't be included, but it'll be available as an add-on
- No, there'll be no physical media
- I don't know
[source flatpanelshd.com]
Comments 114
I'm not entirely sure why people hold physical media in such high regard. I've made the move to digital long ago, it's so much cheaper and I don't have to find a space for it to all gather dust. Yes it could shut down at any time, but what's the likelihood of that happening really?
As someone who still buys physical UHD (granted, I rip them into MKV and use a media player to watch them) this makes me sad.
If the PS6 doesn't have a disk drive then I won't be buying one day one and stick with PS5 for a few years, the Switch 2 would probably become my main console for Jrpgs then. But, I just can't see physical games disappearing until digital sales reach 95% of all sales.
I'm probably 50/50 when it comes to video games between physical and digital.
DVD's however..... honestly can't remember the last time I bought one outside of something really obscure that's only available on DVD
@elvisfan1 there’s just always the fear of some big bad bogeyman. People feel like if they have the disc in their house that they own it, and it could never be taken from them. The digital way, it feels like it can always be taken from you. By the way, I’m a guy who’s been digital for about five years and won’t go back.
@elvisfan1 It definitely isn’t cheaper lmao, for the 10% of great digital prices, most games are priced 20/25 pounds more than their physical counterparts.
But the ease of access is still a big appeal, it’s why i go with digital/physical on a by game basis.
This is unfortunate.
Digital is convenient sure and I buy games digitally sometimes but I still prefer to own a physical copy I can. They can't play that "You're only paying for a license" bs when you own a disc and can pop it right into your PS4/PS5.
I buy more games digitally, but only in sales. I refuse to pay £70 for a game AND lose all my rights, whereas with physical I can sell it on if I don't like it. CHOICE is good, and having both means we can shop around to find the best deals.
"But it's clear... " I ain't read all the yapping in the rest no offense 🗣️✋
Keep in mind, physical media and disc-based media are two separate things.
@GamingFan4Lyf how crazy is it that I read your post and thought, “Old school!” lol
I used to think PS6 would have discs but all that talk about a handheld that natively plays PS5 games complicates things. Naturally discs that size wouldn't fit in a handheld so backwards compatibility on the handheld would have to be limited to digital only.
Which gives me the impression that there'd either be a PSP to Vita style transition (PS6 carts exist but there's no disc drive) or the console is fully digital only.
@DonJorginho I should have mentioned I rarely play a game on release and wait for a deal on them. 99% of the time, digital ends up cheaper than second hand physical, never mind new. This is just my experience of course.
There was an old Revolution X arcade cabinet in the lobby of a movie theatre near me growing up. It was one of those shooter units with a mounted gun. Your weapon shot CD rom discs at the enemies instead of bullets, and it was a great way to pass the time until a movie started. Now arcades are all but gone, movie theatres are floundering, and physical discs are slowly dying. Send your Thank You’s to greedy corporations in pursuit of total control and the worthless younger generation too stupid and short sighted to realize what they’re giving up.
There's the case of eventual disc rot and finding space to put all of those games as well.
The only physical games I buy are Nintendo first party. Everything else is digital. I just find it easier, more convenient, and cheaper, personally
@elvisfan1 how is it cheaper? I paid $79 for Alan wake 2 physical, played it, and sold it on ebay for $60. I wound up paying $20 for something the digital only people paid $70 for. Definitely not cheaper.
@Majin_Deicide Your not though especially nowadays. The finished game all bug free and properly playable appears months down the line via patches digitally. Sitting with a v1.0 disk doesnt make sense to me.
@elvisfan1 for resale value that why people like physical games..or for some to showcase there collection of games..
@elvisfan1 It's cheaper for you. Which is fine and all, but your experience isn't everyone's. My preferred local retailer nearly always has games €5 cheaper at launch, but sometimes as much as €15 (Tekken 8 was €80 from the PSN Store, €65 from them physically). And if you preorder a new release game for delivery from their website, it'll land in your letterbox at least a day before release.
And there's also the fact that you can resell discs too. Bought Dragon Age The Veilguard for €45 physically on Black Friday (which in itself is already cheaper than its cheapest digital price), didn't like it, resold it five days later for €43. Total "loss" for me was €2, instead of the €€50-something it was going for digitally.
I also don't like having stacks of games lying around collecting dust, that's why I resell them and get a hefty chunk of change back. I can well afford them all digitally day one if I wanted, but what's the point in effectively setting fire to that money when I can resell the discs when I'm finished/bored of them?
And I'm not some luddite that doesn't see the benefit of digital. I have hundreds of games digitally. I just also see the benefit of physical and will lament when they disappear for good (get ready to be ridden raw when that happens, BTW).
@TheTraditional I own a few thousand (music CDs). Some are over 30 years old. All of one of them has disc rot.
By the time they're all physically decayed I think I'll long since be physically decayed myself.
One step closer to the adorably all digital future😎
If Sony fully cut the disc drive then they’ll be sued into oblivion and forced to sell digital codes to other retailers. It’s either that or they pull out of the EU completely. Being happy about being locked into Sony prices is buffoon behaviour.
Kinda why I have an extensive Playstation and Steam/GOG libraries. Been all digital since the PS4 twilight years.
@elvisfan1 It’s the difference between actually owning your purchased product vs buying an indefinite rental.
I want to own my games/movies/music. Simple as that.
True story. My sister just bought my nephew the discless PS5 for Christmas. And she also bought him Madden on disc at Walmart. 😂 After a long talk w/ me, our mom, and her mother in law she decided discless was not the way to go for a tween who has parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles who like to buy him video games. So she returned the discless PS5 and bought the disc PS5 for $50 more. Which I told her she’ll more than make back just on all the PS4 games I can give him that she won’t need to buy. And the rest of the relatives can much more easily buy him disc based games.
And that’s 1 reason to go for disc, gifts. New and old.
I’ll be a little sad when video goes all digital. I like borrowing movies from the library. And some sets are just nice to have. Though I can’t also see kids growing up w/ mobile devices and streaming not even knowing what physical media is. So both sides have their pros and cons but progress marches on.
I do buy a lot of games digitally these days but that's usually when they're on sale, for new games I want at launch, I almost always buy them physically. I buy all my movies physically as there is no way I'm subscribing to multiple companies to be able to watch the films that I want to.
I do find it odd that so many almost celebrate an all digital future, as this will not benefit the consumer in any way, even if you don't buy physical
I've moved over to digital a while ago and it's just so much more convenient, and it saves space on my shelf.
This year I've bought: Stellar blade, Undisputed, Astrobot, Tekken 8, Black Myth Wu Kong (today), Blops 6 & GT7, all on disc.
The last blu ray I bought was Deadpool and Wolverine and I still buy CDs the latest being Eminem and Linkin Parks hits, so physical media is still a big thing for me and my family too.
If PS6 is going to be digital only, and Sony are still PC porting, I'll just go to PC as it'll help my fledgling youtube channel more
Unfortunate but it’s reality. Gonna enjoy physical games the rest of this gen then go fully pc next gen. Physical games have been the main reason why I have been a console gamer but if they go away so do I.
@Swirly if you are gonna by cds might as well switch over to vinyl. Better sound quality and also retain more value.
@elvisfan1 dont know how its so much cheaper every game ive bought on disc this generation ive sold for what ive bought it for
so playing games this generation has cost me nothing im not sure how you can get cheaper than that
@elvisfan1 The disc is a physical manifestation of the license. I can prove that I own the game. I can loan it, gift it, or sell it. The most important part of physical games is competition. Digital only games are only sold on PSN. There's no external pressure to reduce prices. Without physical media, Sony has a monopoly. With physical media, Amazon, Sony, GameStop, and other resellers can compete against each other. The consumer wins. There's also the possibility that your digital games are delisted or that your license is revoked. They can do that if they want to; it's in the terms of service.
One more thing post-edit - many physical games appreciate in value. Digital games have zero value besides the value that the end user derives from playing and enjoying it.
That's why I'm heavily in favor of physical.
I miss physical media more and more as time goes by. Outside of the sheer joy of having everything on a shelf and easily being able to spot what I want to watch or play, there are so many other advantages.
Personally, I'm still someone who holds the preowned market in high regard, and that's why I always prefer to opt for physical. I very, very rarely go back to games (outside of a few classics) and always like the option to offset the cost of a new game by selling old ones on eBay.
Movies have the bigger problem of their distribution being so spread out - trying to find a specific movie and figuring out if I already have access to it via a subscription service or if I need to buy it digitally, and then making sure the service I'm buying it from has an app on the TV on want to watch it on... it is all such a hassle, and to be honest has made me far less likely to bother than when I just had a few shelves full of DVDs.
For dvd and blue ray physical is far better quality than streaming. So to with videogames, but at least you can locally install digital games to play at the same quality as physical media
Games play the same whether they’re digital or physical, but there is a WIDE gulf between the audio-visual quality of streaming a movie vs. the UHD disc. Even a standard bluray on an upscale looks better than the best streaming service.
I'm very pro physical media. I have over a thousand DVDs, hundreds of BD and dozens of 4k but barely any PS4 onward games. For me the fact that I get access from two simultaneous accounts means that digital is always cheaper and it's much easier to business travel with too.
I've always find it funny that even certain f2p games have even made it physical after release 😂
One way of them already try to discourage trading games is doing sales as fast as possible, that way it would be more competitive than what it used to. (could we complain about half-glass empty 🤷)
I mean, physical is just a means for trading, if they make digital sharing ecosystem better, won't doubt many would have a change in perspective. A Way Out is a prime example, something I'd always think of.
In terms of preservation, they are already doing that with Plus Premium.
At least they are still doing their part, regardless of what this community have in their minds~
The market is speaking loudly in favour of convenience at the expense of competition, secondary and tertiary markets, preservation, sentimentalism, product quality and overall consumer control. And profit hungry corporations are all too happy to oblige.
I predict that the PS6 will not include a disc drive, but there will be an optional external drive sold separately, so it won't be like the PS5's drive that mounts inside the console. I wish Sony designed the PS5's drive to be external to future proof it to be compatible with the PS6 and beyond instead of necessitating the purchase of another one when the time comes.
The big question is what will happen with digital pricing when Sony has complete monopoly. People just expect prices to remain the same, but big companies aren't usually happy to just keep making the same amount of profit
100% digital for games now, but I'm shifting back towards physical media for movies as I get sick of the thinly spread nature of streaming services as every studio has it's own subscription these days, plus you don't have to rely on the internet and content at a lower quality.
I'm totally happy with digital games purchases but I do hope all subscription services start to phase out or tilt more towards just being an indy dev platform, because I don't want the games industry to fully collapse. And that may be the case of we continue down the path that includes Xbox putting their best release of the generation on to a subscription service that has peaked. Thankfully PS users will have the chance to buy it in Spring 😅
That said, any pressure on companies that sell digital games to provide more competition in that space I very much support.
Not worried, because physical disc market raise again, when movies come in Real Look Technology. I buy digital only when it is inevitable (not released physically). I'm not fan of rental, I rather buy and play when I want, not when they want.
@MrPeanutbutterz Agree mate, that's why I said it's just my experience in my second comment. And fair enough I'd completely neglected the fact that a lot of people resell their games.
@IntrepidWombat I don't think there's a lot of physical media that appreciates nowadays to be honest. Maybe the odd thing but not as much as it used to certainly.
@TheTraditional You'll die before disc rot gets a single blu ray disc.
@elvisfan1 I go physical because its generally cheaper and has resale value making it further cheaper. Its all about the cost and cost alone. Digital is more convenient but when games can be half the cost on disc then can be sold to cex for a further chunk of money it just cheaper over all. I also borrow and lend game with my mates which saves on cost even further.
@TheTraditional I doubt I will even experience disc rot occurring to my discs in my lifetime, I have music CDs from the late 80s that are perfectly fine, but I have seen disc rot from discs bought second hand. I think they were just stored under poor conditions.
I'll buy physical until the option is completely gone. I bought a few games digital in the past but now I outright refuse to buy digital out of principle. I'm fighting a losing battle of course but I don't want to support it.
@Fishmasterflex96 I prefer cds as I can rip them easier and move the files over to my DAP
This is what Phil Spencer was saying in an interview about consoles with disc drives. That it would become harder and harder to find a manufacturer so them as the pieces and parts are starting to go away. Yes i know they push Digital services and what not. But there’s more than just one or ten reasons for that. This being one of them. Sony still makes a disc drive. I believe they will for PS6 but by PS7 i would guess 90 plus percent of game sales will be digital only. Making it a moot point to even produce a disc drive or physical media in general. Long story short prepare now would be the smarter move.
I'm not sure how it was for other regions but in the US, this Black Friday showed that it's just way cheaper to buy physical for newer games. About 80% of the new games I've purchased are physical because they are just cheaper.
Silent Hill: $30 physical / $56 digital
Stellar Blade: $40 / $50
DBZ Sparking Zero: $50 / $70
Rise of the Ronin: $30 / $40
Disney Epic Mickey Rebrushed: $30 / $42
Spiderman 2: $30 / $40
Sonic X Shadow: $30 / $38
SMT V Vengeance: $25 / $42
Persona 3 Reload: $25 / $35
Like a Dragon IW: $25 / $35
Gran Turismo (PS5): $20 / $30
Avatar: $20 / $31.50
Armored Core: $20 / $36
Hogwarts Legacy: $20 / $30
Honestly almost all games released within the last 2 years have been cheaper physically consistently. Not sure how anyone can argue digital is cheaper unless we're talking about games that were released many years ago.
@Fishmasterflex96 I’m pretty sure the whole “vinyl sounds better than CDs” thing has been debunked in blind listening tests, but I do enjoy owning the Tron Legacy vinyl set I got from Target…I keep meaning to put them on my wall, especially the translucent blue disc!
Absolutely not trying to yuck your yum for vinyl, though! I see the appeal, even if I don’t personally share it!
@AhmadSumadi I may be old school, but, when you have a high-end sound system, there is a noticeable difference between something that is streamed using Dolby Digital Plus and the lossless TrueHD (or DTS-HD MA) found on physical media.
Dune is a great example. There is just a richer bass and cleaner sound to the already incredible soundtrack. Plus, I have noticed that, for whatever reason, surround effects are a lot more pronounced when using a physical disc (or an uncompressed ripped copy of a physical disc) vs the streaming variant of the same film.
I feel like it's the difference between watching something at home vs experiencing it in the theater.
But, alas, I am a dying breed. The masses couldn't care less as most either use a soundbar, TV speakers, or watch from a phone/tablet.
I still buy physical games - ends up cheaper since I play and then sell them (if no DLC is in the development pipeline) - usually for around just £20 less than I bought them for 🙂 Also there have been a few games I didn't get into (e.g. Star Wars Outlaws) which I then could sell on.
So for the physical-only people, do they just not play indie games? Because most indie games don't get physical releases unless it sold well digitally. Which means most indie games aren't available physically. There's a whole realm of games that people won't touch out of principle? And with digital, doesn't more money go to the developer/publisher since there's no manufacturing and distribution costs? I'd rather the people that make games get more of my money rather than be concerned about whether I have a physical disc with resale value even though I'll probably never sell it.
@elvisfan1 A majority don't, you're right. At least not immediately. Most of my PS1 games are worth more than I paid for them, but you're talking about 25 year old games at that point. The ones that appreciate quickly now are hit or miss. Basically all of Falcom's Trails games do - if you want a physical copy, you need to buy one at launch or end up paying significantly more for it.
Physical all the way. I'm fed up with all the delistings and other bull 💩 that comes with all-digital. ❤️💿❤️
I prefer physical media for films because they present in better quality, very few, if any streaming services can match the quality of a good 4k blu ray, I also don't have to worry about my films disappearing one day.
As for LG, I wasn't aware they even produced 4k players, they certainly aren't on any top 5 players lists and that's probably why they aren't making any more because the ones they made aren't particularly good.
I still buy physical games but also digital, it depends on price and whether I might want to share or sell it in the future, digital is certainly more convenient.
I still much prefer physical media. Sure, I spend pretty much all my time with my autistic brother watching streaming services, BUT our internet is horrible. He buys movies all the time, which we can easily watch without having to wait for it to buffer. Plus movies come and go on streaming services and sometimes you can’t find what you want specifically because nobody is streaming it. Also, sometimes there are shows that have “banned” episodes that you can’t find streaming. I’m looking at a Pokémon box set right now that has one of those episodes on it. So it IS better to have a VHS/DVD/Blu-ray of it. Same with physical games. Games sometimes get delisted and you can’t buy them anymore. Yet if you have a physical copy…
You can all preach your “digital only” crap all you want, but physical media is still incredibly important for those very reasons.
Now, I’m not saying we’re both strictly physical media, he owns some 30+ Switch digital games that were bought at deep discounts. But still you can’t just up and deny that physical media is still important with the points I’ve given.
I still use my disk drive very often. I still use it for gaming of course, I played Star Wars outlaws with it but I’ve bought a lot of shows on box sets that way I could ditch many of my streaming subscriptions.
@Wakkawipeout Nope! I don’t play indie games. That said, the only system I own that can connect online is a Vita. So I don’t really have any way of purchasing them. But I don’t see much that interests me that I can think of off the top of my head.
@elvisfan1
I'm dinosaur, old school gamer.
I love physical games that you can owned even the games are more than 20 years old.
I hate the convenience of being digital only.
I hate the future of being digital only.
Not surprised.
Except for enthusiasts, no one buys these players anymore. I collect a lot of movies, though less now than 10 years ago. And hopefully, when my Panasonic UB820 dies, it's still easy to get a replacement online.
I also consume a lot of movies and games digitally, so I'm not one of those that will stop gaming, even if PS6 is digital only.
I just wish that Sony would offer the same kind of refunds, as on PC and Xbox, if you don't enjoy the game you bought digitally.
@dskatter fair enough, was more so coming from a vinyl is cooler to collect angle and if they even offer a slight better sound then cds and if you are a physical collector might as well go with that.
@elvisfan1 "I've made the move to digital long ago, it's so much cheaper"
😂😂 Absolute BS. People may prefer digital for ease, no space required for storing cases, carbon fp etc but to say digital is so much cheaper is a blatant lie.
Digital is kind of expensive. For consoles at least- PC is different because digital on console does something digital on PC doesn't.
The most powerful thing a customer can ever do, no matter what you're buying, is shop around. Make these companies fight each other for the honour of your custom. But on consoles, there is only one digital storefront. On Playstation, if you have don't a disc drive, you have to buy your games from Sony. On PC, Steam is biggest digital store front, but not the only one. You can get your games elsewhere if you like. Same for streaming services for most movies.
That's why console manufacturers are pushing digital, they're trying to weaken customers by forcing them into a market place with only one vendor. At that point, the vendor is in complete control of the price you pay.
So for games consoles I'm much more attached to physical media than I am in any other situation, because the push for digitial is uniquely sinister for games consoles.
@Wakkawipeout I know this will come as a shock, but those of us who prefer physical games will also buy digital games on occasion. It isn’t an all-or-nothing proposition unless you genuinely don’t have an optical drive in your console.
I have a metric ton of PS/Switch/XBox games in physical and digital format. Some games don’t get physical releases in the US, as well. Like the PS4 version of the Ace Attorney games, for example. Either you import or you live with digital only for those. Only the Switch version of those got US releases, and even then the original trilogy never got a state-side physical release. Had to import that one, annoyingly.
@Kidfunkadelic83 I never understand why people insist digital is cheaper. I can, for example, go buy Scarlet Nexus at GameStop for $5! Or buy it on PSN for $60. Yep. Digital sure is cheaper alright…
@Wakkawipeout for me yes that's correct, old school, fuddy duddy, stuck in my ways but no physical release I won't buy it
@UltimateOtaku91 The quickest way they'll get to 95% is by removing the option for physical. I know there is a voice for physical media but when it comes down to it I believe that FOMO will quickly set in and they'll only see a slight slump for a short period in sales. Your own comment speaks to this since you'll still get the PS6, or whichever number they are on when it happens, you just won't get it day one. I hope I am wrong but I'm gonna err on the side of greed and IP control on this one, unfortunately.
@elvisfan1 cheaper really? I never see any day 1 release cheaper on digital in the ps store than a physical copy from amazon.
@elvisfan1 The thing with appreciation is you have to wait for that value to accrue. It's not really applicable to current-gen, or even the PS4 era.
My Gamecube collection was worth little in 2006. Now quite a few of those games are going for $100+, almost all of them at least $40. Original MSRP was $50 across the board.
I wouldn't suggest anyone buy games as an investment, but if you're the type who holds onto them in 15-20 years you'll have the option to make as much or more than you originally paid.
In any case the biggest concern for me is not cost but control. If everything is on PS Store you'll see discounts become scarce. It will also allow publishers to simply remove games for whatever reason. Activision lost the license to Famous IP? Whoops, guess you can't access it anymore. Physical is an imperfect solution to these concerns, since discs are 1.0 builds, but they at least offer some measure of protection from anti-consumer behavior.
Edit: Forgot to mention, physical is a massive advantage for the poor souls who have data caps on their internet service.
Well, people thought vinyl was dead too…. Let’s face it, just like with music, many gamers (including me) want a box for the shelf and a disc for the console. Many people feel the need for collecting stuff and I think gamers are just as passionate as music nerds when it comes to game franchises and characters.
So even if the market is telling us to do one thing I think there will always be 10-20% of gamers supporting physical. Ignore them at your peril…
Oddly enough 4K Blu Rays are the only form of media I buy physical now. I like to have a collection of my favourite films and never swapped over to getting films in 4K on Amazon or iTunes.
I’ve got a large collection of books and comics, but my mum bought me a kindle when they first came out to save space.
Same with CDs, had a large collection then got an iPod and burnt them onto my laptop and started buying on iTunes and now I have Apple Music.
Recently just moved house and sold loads of cds on music magpie. Didn’t get much at all! I think Pink Floyd The Wall which is a double CD album had a hmv price tag still on it of £30.99! Don’t think I even got a quid for it 20 years later! I’ve always enjoyed collecting and never been a trade in kind of person, cds never held value unlike vinyl and judging by prices in CEX neither have video games.
I started going digital in the end of the PS3 era, and went all in from the start of the PS4 generation. Didn’t see the point in getting the discs if they still have to download and take up storage space. Switching between games is way more convenient when digital and can always go back to older games in my collection.
I got the PS5 digital edition at launch, got it for £360 and sold my base PS4 for £160 so only £200 to upgrade.
I buy all my PSN credit off of Shopto which can be 12-15% cheaper than the voucher is worth. I’ll go through and wish list games I like if I’m not keen enough to get them day 1and wait til they drop to around £50, which will cost about £44 on shopto.
I still buy physical games.and digigital games.i believe ps6 will come with a physical disc to play.word up son
@elvisfan1 Have you ever heard of The Crew? People paid over $60 for it and it got completely shut down.
The fact that you know nothing about it and preach that going digital is ok shows the lack of knowledge of the general audience.
You're giving away your right to own something and don't even know about it.
Love physical media,movies,games etc and will continue to buy physical plain and simple for me
Physical & minor digital and don't know for the poll. Hard to tell with Sony & PS6.
Hmm. I mean a console has more features then a dedicated blu ray player unless you want something to prioritise just that experience so they are niche as they are likely unless really into films and the home theatre experience and not the lesser quality but still enough a console offers of those few disk drives/disk drive models as we see digital focus and businesses do whatever they want rather then care what customers think size of support or not.
More pulling out isn't surprising though of supporting them.
Sigh server DRM for games/cloud future. Company control not customer audience of purchasing support.
Refunds digitally are annoying too. Research heavily for sure. Discounts, effort, timers, pass.
1.0 versions are fun not forced latest with digital as no option to select compared to a all versions Minecraft Java or something.
If 4K then I'd say sure as well the push for it enough or not of a format. But regular Blu ray you can get devices for those easily PS3/Xbox One/PS4 however many past cheaper blu ray players anyways.
But seeing a cut off is a bit unfortunate besides the few companies remaining.
Less disk drives is hmm with consoles though.
Not a fan of streaming. I watch sure but barely anything of worth on there and even then the bit rate doesn't bother me, more access is my reasons.
If shows aren't that impactful or they cycle I couldn't care less, sure I should think archival but I do more other things.
I do mods that are abandoned then I do TV shows.
If can't online via means or it's a lot of subbing to services then yeah pass I'll get the few things I want on blu ray and that's it as rare of them in a year or if they never got physical give up or find it online anyway. They don't care to offer it overseas even that's on them. They don't care to push it up there if failed in 1 market try others by all means they can let it die. If online and available people will see it.
Games being probably the last besides whichever films/TV shows or re-releases and such is hmm.
Do people care about shows/films anymore if they aren't as impactful so moving on mindset, or audiences used to streaming then physical take over and the last of us younger ones with old consoles/game design or film/TV and physical media was the norm in some parts of our lives, consider the physical option and keep going besides older people still into them then those that have gone streaming as well.
It's tough. From dumb comments like a new format when people won't buy it (whatever the name, branding, marketing/lack of notice) after the new magic effect is gone or change their mind the next day.
To just anything of reasons for people to care once it's gone it has to be in effect for people to care when they have no options if they go oh I'm too lazy to buy it or care/nostalgia after a show/game is taken off a service they will go eh moving on.
@GamingFan4Lyf I’m a sound guy as well. But I’ve become a creature of convenience more than anything else. I know exactly what you’re talking about! But, I’m at a point where my comfort comes first, I guess.
@elvisfan1 extremely likely since laws are being created to tell u that u don't own it and r just renting it and companies have been taking away purchases for years being games movies or TV shows
@Wakkawipeout Nope, indies most of the time don't hit for me and the indie games that I do like (Hades,Blasphemous,Hollow Knight,Dead Cells) all had physical releases. It's also increasingly more common for an indie game to release physically even if not straight away.
Hello there fellow gamers.
I´m an old fashioned man, so going to a store to purchase games is very natural to me.
I also love to actualy OWN my games or any other media, including books, movies and albums.
As an example, on November 15, I went as soon as I could, I went to my local shopping center to purchase the new Linkin Park album. I was the very first person to get it there.
Now, I could´ve got it and listened to it at midnight, but for me, nothing beats opening the album, putting the CD on, grabing the book with the lyrics and just enjoy the music being played.
I do exactely the same thing with videogames and movies.
I´m so worried about this, that I am making sure I try to get as many games that I want to have and play, as much as possible.
And being able to pre-order, making them cheaper and using deals like pay two and get three with the pre-order is just the icing on the cake for me.
There is also the fact that some games you can wait for a few months and get them cheaper or on a sale and with physical games you can let a friend borrow them as well.
Have done that quite a few times.
Do I also buy digital? Yes, when ever there is a really good sale.
But if I can, I´ll pay a bit more to have the case with the disc.
Some times, I´ll even doble dip and get some games on multiple platforms. Those being PS5 and Series X.
But that´s just me though, I´m weird like that 😜
Hopefully, physical media will never stop being a thing.
But if it does, well, then I´ll still have my collection to enjoy.
Cheers and happy gaming
I know no one, who uses an LG Blu-ray player.
Panasonic and Sony are the leaders on the market, LG was never that good.
@Pat_trick
"Have you heard of The Crew?"
Doesn't wait for an answer:
"The fact you know nothing about it..."
Hahaha yeah OK pal. It was released on disc too which makes said disc completely useless so I don't know what your point is.
Also, sales trends agree with me which would suggest I do actually know more about the general audience than you do. People who buy physical are in the minority.
@elvisfan1 that only works for mainstream taste.
@Wakkawipeout I play indie games, but I need to feel pretty certain there won’t be a physical release in 6 months to a year later before I buy them. I really try to wait for them to wind up on ps+ if I can.
Maybe this isn’t the same for games, but when it comes to music and dvd I own a lot of stuff that isn’t available on streaming. And I’m sure if certain big companies one day decide to only offer the media they have produced, they will dump a bunch of other stuff and there won’t be a way to access it. Plus I don’t appreciate the playlist format instead of finding what I like for myself on an album, or being told I’d like this because I watched that.
Also I already paid for it once, why should I need to pay a rental fee to watch what I already paid for? And if I have to pay for streaming, I want that money to go to the artist, not a holdings company that owns the platform.
I may have to buy an emergency Blu Ray player for when my one gives up the ghost.
Discs are not the only means to deliver physical media though? The Switch is right there as an example.
This is just sad. I never gave much thought to the media players going away, more the media itself. Nightmare where I have all these blu-rays but the players are no more. Probably time to buy a backup or two. I usually rip them to my Plex NAS but still would be good to have one to hook up to the TV should the PS3 or PS5 stop working.
I only but physical media and if its not available ill wait. I buy some micro transactions for my only digital game Gems of War.
I get physical for my favorite games, i have limit 75 games every gen of PS.
Many of PS Plus Extra games i loved i bought them physical.
@elvisfan1 I have seen Ubisoft take away bought games. I have seen games disappear and not being available anymore i still can get all PS1 physical if i want Steam tells you you dont own anything its a rental and big corp is not to be trusted.
@Oxy How did vinyl make a comeback again? Could it happen to Blu-Ray in 10 years?
Reading sone of the comments, the digital prices for Playstation games is ridiculously high.
Buyers are getting absolutely rinsed and someone is getting rich from it.
If the industry is steering users towards digital, then Sony need to allow 3rd party key selling. They can't have it both ways.
@elvisfan1 Oh, you're following the trend! Sorry to question you, mate! That makes you 100% right!
We all know that trend followers are the best judges! How's your NFT doing? Cryptocurrency investments?
at first i was against making the disc drive an add on but the more i thought about it , i actually changed my mind. what is one of the parts that breaks the most on the console. the disc drive. if you can detach the broken disc drive and they either send or you buy a replacement , its much better then buying a whole new console or having to send your console out to get repaired.
@Blackbeard Yeah that's what I do and what I failed to mention in my original comment. I play the sales game tbf and rarely buy on release. My point with this is that the discounts on these sales are usually far lower than physical games ever go price wise.
I will not buy full-priced AAA games like Alan Wake 2 or Balders Gate 3 digitally. I will buy smaller games like Stray or Pacific Drive.
I'm not gonna buy PS6 if it's digital only. Period.
@elvisfan1 With physical copy you can sell it again. But what's better is for rare games / edition the value is increasing over the years. Like Muramasa Rebirth: Blessing of Amitabha edition for example. I bought it on day 1 for 50-60 bucks but right now brand new sealed copy can get 800 bucks while opened box with good condition can get from 300-500 bucks.
https://www.jnlgame.com/products/muramasa-rebirth-blessing-of-amitabha-edition-playstation-vita?variant=32110625947763
I also used to own Viewtiful Joe: Red Hot Rumble for PSP. I bought it for 15-20 bucks but i sold it last year for 60-70 bucks.
So buying physical copy is also the same as investing. Sure a lot of games doesn't share the same value as rare / special edition. But at least you can sell it again and recoup some of your money, which you can't do with digital copy.
Meanwhile, with digital copy you're pretty much renting the game. The publisher can removed the game from digital store any time they want without warning the consumers.
@Pat_trick Laughing at crypto might not be the best burn, with bitcoin prices recently hitting all-time highs! BTC at $100K each, just saying lol
Disclaimer: I do own 2 BTC that I bought at $4K each back in 2019 hehe
I dread the day when physical media is gone and we’re all held at the mercy of Sony’s terrible digital prices. I think I’ll only play Fortnite and Dreamlight Valley when that day comes 😂 At least until there are heavy discounts on psn.
Streaming while convenient just cant match the quality of a 4k Bluray, its not even comparable, while I dont buy many per year, I will absolutely buy a film on physical if I know i'll repeat watch it / part of a collection, will be a really sad day if/when they stop selling blu-rays / UHDs
@ChimpMasta lol what odd advice. Sell them asap? You act like they are all going to explode one day. Even if physical did disappear, the old copies will still be fine.
Edit : as for degredation, my ps1 cd discs are still fine to this day. So blu rays, they are probably going to outlive me.
Dedicated disc players are not relevant I own thousands of Blu-rays but not a single dedicated Blu-ray player when I have 3 Xbox ones two PlayStation 4 pros a PlayStation 4 two PlayStation 3 and a PlayStation 5 why would I need a dedicated player
@Dampsponge that's true, dedicated disc players have likely been niche for a while. Most households have likely been using games consoles for it for some time.
@elvisfan1 Agree digital is 100% cheaper when you factor in a site like CDKeys that gets you 20-30% off the game day 1.
@elvisfan1 is it cheaper? I just bought Silent Hill 2 for $30 at Walmart and Elden Ring for $20
Since I lost access to all the digital magazines(an online magazine platform shut down), I am not looking forward to seeing everything in digital. I have other concerns too, since then.
But I hope, one way or another... you have a good time playing games 😉
In my region Australia physical media can be around 40% cheaper for a day 1 game. So I can go to JB hi Fi or Amazon and pay 70 or 80 for a brand new day one copy of something like horizon forbidden west or pay 125 on PSN.
The choice becomes far simpler when I can pay 45 dollars less for a new game on a disc
I'm a massive fan of physical media and collect steelbooks and limited editions from boutique labels of movies I've loved growing up and recent gems.
My day one purchases would become fairly infrequent, if physical was taken away. Games costing £60 digital a year after release, compared to a physical copy sitting in cex for £20 or £30, it's really hard to justify going 100% digital.
@Cloud39472 "You'll die before disc rot gets a single blu ray disc."
I've actually had a few blu-rays become unreadable, all discs were stored in their cases on shelves in a bedroom or spare room.
TLDR:- I've had at least 5 different blu-ray releases from different film studios become unreadable (apparently many used the same manufacturer on the early 2010s). Plus participated in a few disc replacement programs over the years too.
_
There was apparently an issue with manufacturing of certain batches of UK discs from Optimum, Lionsgate, Icon & Entertainment in Video in the early 2010s. So UK discs like 'Drag Me to Hell', 'Pandorum', 'Red Cliff' SE (d1 of 2) etc. are commonly becoming unreadable .
I bought 'Drag Me to Hell' BD around 2011, watched it a couple of times with no issue and then one year, upon inserting the disc it displayed as "no disc" (multiple players, different brands), and was unreadable in my PC BD-ROM drive too. I bought a replacement on ebay earlier this year, also unreadable (both discs look flawless). I'll try and get a US disc as a replacement at some point.
Similar story with 'Pandorum', played perfectly one year, unreadable later. I bought a cheap replacement on ebay and it was fine, in both player and PC drive. But upon watching this year (over October), it skipped for the first 30s of the opening credits, then thankfully the film played interrupted. Sure enough upon checking in PC drive, it had read errors. I have a feeling if I try and play it again next year, it will have more skipping or be totally unreadable.
Also you will often hear of blu-ray discs 'bronzing', I also encountered that this year with my copy of 'My Neighbors the Yamadas'. It had read errors on PC, so I tested in player. Seemed to be fine for around 45m, then froze and skipped. Only resumed playback around 15-20m later, so essentially unwatchable (that BD also came with a DVD, which seems to have no issue).
Given the number of films & games I've bought on Blu-ray over the years, I'm hoping that it is simply down to these bad manufacturing batches (similar to issues with WB HD-DVDs).
It does highlight that physical media isn't perfect (I've also taken part in a handful of disc replacement programs over the years too, inc one where an old copy was pressed instead of a new remaster), but it's still my preference for watching films & TV (Blu-ray then DVD) for watching new films & series or rewatching stuff at it's best, without heavy compression etc. of streaming (+ extra content like documentaries, commentaries etc).
Games I will also still buy on disc. While I am about 50:50 disc vs digital on PS4, all the digital games were heavily discontinued in PSN sales. I'd never buy full price new releases digitally.
Tend to be 80% physical 20% digital (although that includes some games that aren't on physical).
It's all well and good until something gets de-listed. Recently mentioned case in point (due to its 10 year anniversary) is Driveclub. Digital? Nothing.. However, get a 2nd hand disc, shove it in the PS4/5 and watch as the patches download...
It good to have the option to get a physical version of a game /movie / TV series but increasingly it hard to even find the physical version and more and very often the physical versions tend to be marked up to full price, even if you can actually find them. On one hand it's nice to have a physical version and you can sell them when you don't want them, but they do tend to take up space and very often you don't get very much if you sell them. Lots of games don't get a physical version anymore and very often the physical releases are limited runs and hard to get.
@elvisfan1 I still buy physical because it is always cheaper than digital for new games. Spiderman 2 was £69.99. I bought it day 1 from Argos for £58! I tend to buy digital for games £30 and under but begrudge spending full RRP for a digital version.
I don't have any PS5 games on disc at the moment so can't do a noise test but I have The Divison 2 and Ghost Recon Breakpoint PS4 disc version and the spin up on my PS5 and I can hear them and it is quite annoying because sometimes they keep spinning in the disc drive and I mainly use open back headphones plugged into the controller, yeah I can still hear the disc drive spinning the disc. When I get a PS5 disc i'll see if it's noisy? I have several digital only games now so i'm not fussed if it's all digital in the end. Just purchased Metro Exodus on the ps store for £3.49 I think it was, lol.
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