Physical Console Game Releases Are on a Steady Decline

[Tsing]

Image: PlayStation



Physical games have long been a thing of the past for PC gamers, but the console segment is slowly but surely heading down the same road, according to new data that demonstrates how discs and cartridges are steadily becoming more and more of a niche product.



As reported in an analysis by Ars Technica, physical releases of console games are getting rarer, a trend that’s apparent in new metrics sourced from NPD Game Pulse. The data service’s findings show that the number of games available in a physical format has decreased from 321 to 226 since 2018, a nearly 30 percent decline, while digital has increased from 1,362 to 2,182, a level of growth that should be of no surprise to anyone who’s familiar with the convenience, space savings, and other perks of the format.



Additional data from Game Pulse reveals that the decline in physical...

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[DrezKill]

I still really like buying physical copies. I'll buy the physical version over a digital version if I can (unless digital version is way cheaper). However I do NOT like that bullsh1t some devs pull with Switch games, where because they are too cheap to use the bigger cartridges, they'll use the smaller cartridges and put only part of the game on the cartridge. You have to download the rest. Good luck trying to play that cartridge on a fresh system 20 years from now when the online service for that system is no longer functioning. It means the cartridge can't be used standalone. But by then you should probably be using a modded system and have full game ROMs.

Still wish we had physical releases on PC too. For some reason though, I don't mind digital-only games on PC as much as I do on console. And while I like getting physical versions of games, I do NOT like having to put the disc in the system just for DRM purposes. Back in the day on PC, we used to use No-CD/DVD cracks. Too bad we can't do the same with unmodded consoles.

Anyways I'm sure at some point physical console games will completely disappear, and I shall miss them. In most cases digital versions of games are just more convenient (unless you have sh1t Internet access). For most console generations I heavily relied on borrowing games. 8th-gen it wasn't so bad because friends let me borrow entire systems, so it didn't matter if the games were digital. I wonder how things will turn out for 9th-gen. I have a few friends with PS5s, one with an XBSS, and one with XBSX. Of course the latter doesn't matter cuz I can play those games on PC. I do hope we see most PS5-exclusive games on PC as well. Otherwise I'll do what I've done in the past, borrow the system when possible, and then get the system later in the generation when prices have come down and new revisions have popped up.

I'm surprised games still come on discs. They should release games on flash drives. Games should be able to run directly off those flash drives too. That would be very handy for the 9th-gen systems with their small-@ss SSDs. Imagine instead of having to install a game from a disc, you just plug in the flash drive it comes on, and it runs directly off that flash drive (or you have the option to copy/install to local disc). I miss physical manuals too.

 

[MadMummy76]

Digital version is like 50% more here. PS store pricing is literally insane here.

 

[Peter_Brosdahl]

they'll use the smaller cartridges and put only part of the game on the cartridge. You have to download the rest.

Had no clue that was happening. Messed up.

Back in the day on PC, we used to use No-CD/DVD cracks.

I remember those days and when an update came out the search began anew for another crack, plus always making sure to get from somewhere safe so something unwanted didn't end up on the system. I was legitimately buying games at the store but had no qualms about using a file to get around that stuff.

They should release games on flash drives.

I remember hearing rumors that might happen with things after 4K and at one point I believe Sony even had one people could purchase for movies early on. These days it would really make sense considering the install sizes going upwards of 100-200 GB.

 

[Peter_Brosdahl]

Digital version is like 50% more here. PS store pricing is literally insane here.

That's unfortunate. I've seen stuff like that happen with movies and always thought it should never be the case. I understand there are costs for digital services but I cannot believe they are higher than producing physical copies and distribution.

 

[Denpepe]

Had no clue that was happening. Messed up.

You also have things like this happening

 

[DrezKill]

You also have things like this happening
View attachment 1489

Another example was Spyro Reignited Trilogy. Only the first game is on the cartridge. The other 2 games have to be downloaded. Then again, even on PS3 we had to deal with stuff like that. God of War Collection only had 1, 2 and 3 on the BD. The PSP games had to be downloaded. But in other countries, they got a two-disc version, with the PSP games on the second disc.

I was legitimately buying games at the store but had no qualms about using a file to get around that stuff.

Also came in handy for LANParties. We weren't gonna buy like 8 different copies of a game for one 3-day LANParty. Just install on multiple PCs from the same disc, and use the crack. Also means you don't have the burn multiple copies of the disc.

 

[Brian_B]

I like the idea of physical media. In practice, it doesn't provide anything that digital purchases can't and still has the pain in the *** factor of requiring the disc to be inserted every time.

Day 1 patches that are as large as the initial download. Live service games that require you to be online anyway. Having to actually change out discs as some form of physical DRM. And having the physical media won't prevent a game from getting shut down and becoming unplayable.

The gray market doesn't exist any more, that was really the biggest benefit for physical media for me. I haven't bought anything physical since.. I guess I have a handful of PS4 discs from when we first got it several years ago.

 

[Uvilla]

I like the idea of physical media. In practice, it doesn't provide anything that digital purchases can't and still has the pain in the *** factor of requiring the disc to be inserted every time.

Day 1 patches that are as large as the initial download. Live service games that require you to be online anyway. Having to actually change out discs as some form of physical DRM. And having the physical media won't prevent a game from getting shut down and becoming unplayable.

The gray market doesn't exist any more, that was really the biggest benefit for physical media for me. I haven't bought anything physical since.. I guess I have a handful of PS4 discs from when we first got it several years ago.

Exactly. Physical media would mean something if it was done as in the past. It doesn't mean anything now.

 

[Burticus]

Exactly. Physical media would mean something if it was done as in the past. It doesn't mean anything now.

Well it does retain one nice option..... you can resell the game after you beat it. Other than that, it's just a DRM device, nothing runs off the discs anymore since ps3. You still have to download a jillion gigs and install. I like being able to recoup some money after I'm done with a game (I'm not usually one for replays), but I hate having to get my a$$ off the couch to install a different disc just to play something stupid like pinball.

 

[Brian_B]

Well it does retain one nice option..... you can resell the game after you beat it. Other than that, it's just a DRM device, nothing runs off the discs anymore since ps3. You still have to download a jillion gigs and install. I like being able to recoup some money after I'm done with a game (I'm not usually one for replays), but I hate having to get my a$$ off the couch to install a different disc just to play something stupid like pinball.

Gamestop doesn't pay enough to even make it worth the gas to drive over there anymore. Maybe if you have some other avenue it's worth while.