Quick Links
Summary
Physical media in entertainment is declining across the board, and game companies are at the forefront of pushing an all-digital future. The signs are there, and I am deeply concerned about the future of ownership and preservation.
The Rise of Subscription Services
There is no shortage of gaming subscription services, whether on console, PC, or mobile. From Game Pass to EA Play to Apple Arcade, companies are pushing subscriptions as the best way to enjoy dozens of games for a reasonable fee.
To the detriment ofpeople like me who still value physical games, the push seems to be working. According toStatista, gaming subscriptions are growing year over year and even outpacing game purchases.
Although these game subscriptions are packed with a vast library of games, you don’t control what you can access and when. Your favorite titles can be removed, and there is nothing you can do since subscribing to these services shows game executives that you’re comfortable with not owning your games.
Disc-Less Consoles Are Now a Thing
Both Sony and Microsoft now have disc-less consoles, moving us further into an all-digital future for gaming. While a complete transition might not happen anytime soon, it’s looking more likely that disc-based consoles will eventually be phased out. Once that happens, we will never own our games, which isbad news for console gamers.
Moreover, it will destroy the used game market. While this benefits game companies, it will leave budget-conscious gamers like me with fewer options to acquire games affordably. I won’t be able to sell an old game to get a new one or borrow from friends and family.
Xbox Series S
While the PC as a platform has been all-digital for well over a decade, it’s less of a concern due to the openness of platforms like Steam, GOG, and Itch.io. When Microsoft and Sony control the only storefront that’s allowed on their hardware, they hold all of the cards. Games can and do disappear from these storefronts. On the PC, you can usually download a rival storefront orgrab a DRM-free versionand archive it.
You Don’t Even Need a Console Anymore
According to an article byWccftech, Microsoft may leave the gaming business if there isn’t enough growth for Xbox Game Pass subscriptions by 2027. Take this with a big pinch of salt, but it’s no secret thatthings haven’t been going the company’s way for a while. This shows how importantXbox Game Pass and cloud gamingare to the future of Xbox moving forward, rather than hardware.
Microsoft even de-emphasized the importance of traditional consoles in itsThis Is An Xbox marketing campaignby stating that a phone, computer, TV, streaming stick, handheld PC, and VR headset can be an Xbox.
EvenSony’s PlayStation Portal can stream cloud games, rather than just being used as a local extension of the PS5. Xbox isn’t the only one leaning heavily into the cloud gaming aspects of its subscription service.
PlayStation Portal
Whilecloud gaming technology is still evolving, it’s still seen by many as the future of gaming. Once it’s widely available, millions of gamers could relinquish control over their gaming experience for the convenience and cost-effectiveness of cloud gaming.
If this comes to pass, game companies will be free to remove games, deny access, impose stringent DRM policies, or implement whatever predatory monetization tactics they need since you’ll have no alternatives. Buying a disc and whacking it into a console will no longer be an option.
Many Games Skip or Delay Physical Releases
In 2023, 95% of game sales in the US were digital, according to theInternational Trade Administration. With stats like this, it’s safe to say that physical releases, while not completely irrelevant, are not critical to the video game market. That is why games likeBaldur’s Gate 3andBlack Myth: Wukongsucceeded before the physical versions were released.
Other major releases likeAlan Wake 2andSenua’s Saga: Hellblade 2are digital-only. The developers have no plans to release disc versions, despite their popularity.
Skipping or delaying physical releases is a huge advantage for developers since they can work on the game longer and save on distribution costs in the long run. But leaving players stuck with a digital copy means people with limited internet access will have trouble downloading the game and reselling it to recoup the investment is out of the question.
Furthermore, what happens when the game is no longer profitable? They can release a remaster, delist the old title from digital storefronts, and force gamers to buy the new release at full price. This happened to PC players whenGrand Theft Auto Trilogy: The Definitive EditionandHorizon Zero Dawn Remasteredwere both released—the old titles were removed from places like Steam and the Epic Games Store and no longer available for purchase.
Even Physical Games Rely on Mandatory Updates
These days, even if you buy the disc, publishers are ensuring you don’t completely own the game. TakeHogwarts Legacy, for example. When you install the game via disc, you can only play the prologue before you are required to “update” the game to download the rest of the campaign. And the game is about 80 GB, meaning it can fit on a disc just fine.
Not to mention theCall of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (2022)debacle, where the disc contained only 70 MB of data. Even theHalo Infinitedisc had minimal data, requiring you to “update” it to access the full game.
My worry here is that game companies will use discs as mere authentication tools until the vision of an all-digital future is realized. And since I buy physical games to preserve them, there is no point if discs will only serve as a physical license for the digital version.
There is nothing we can do to stop game companies from marching forward with their plans to make gaming all-digital. It won’t be all bad, though, considering digital games provide instant access on any supported platform and are often cheaper due to frequent sales.
The trade-off is significant since it gives publishers too much control over how we enjoy games, and that’s a concern for me.
