The Importance of Physical Games: A Call to Preserve the Past and OWN our Games

[Box]

With Microsoft's recent release of Hi Fi Rush being a digital-only title on PS5, it brings up some interesting discussions about physical game preservation. I'll admit, digital downloads are super – convenient, easy, and we literally have a new sale every week on PSN. But lately, I've been feeling a bit uneasy about relying solely on PSN,Steam,XBL and Eshop (especiallywith the closure of the servers).

Microsoft has been pushing hard for a digital only future even with the Series S flopping hard. Even after the Activision purchase, Gamepass growth has flattened.

Retro Physical media doesn't require an internet connection (100% DRM free), which opens the door for folks who might have limited bandwidth. It also allows for a more open gaming ecosystem, where you can trade, sell, or borrow games with ease. It used to be so simple, you buy the disc and put it in the console to play!

Now, I'm not saying we should ditch digital downloads altogether! But I believe the ideal future involves a healthy balance. We need to advocate for both options: physical releases for major digital-only titles, clear policies from storefronts regarding game delisting and preservation, and continued investment in digital preservation techniques.

Let's keep the conversation going and ensure that future gamers can experience the classics we love today, both digitally and physically!

 

[Gediminas]

 

[Box]

Still better than nothing but I wish they did the same for Alan Wake 2. I refuse to buy digital only

 

[JAHGamer]

This doesn't make it any better, it was digital only on Xbox for the past year. Same with Grounded, Pentiment, and now Hellblade 2. Ghostwire Tokyo also only got a physical release for PS5, but digital only for Xbox.

A trillion dollar company shouldn't have to resort to using a trash company like LRG for their physical releases. I guarantee if Xbox never bought Zenimax, then HiFi Rush would've had a standard retail physical release instead of a crappy LRG roll out.

Eternights is a $30 indie game and got a regular retail physical release, Pacific Drive is another indie game that's only $40 and has a proper physical release. If these tiny companies can do it, then Microsoft should easily be able to as well.....

 

[Gediminas]

This doesn't make it any better, it was digital only on Xbox for the past year. Same with Grounded, Pentiment, and now Hellblade 2. Ghostwire Tokyo also only got a physical release for PS5, but digital only for Xbox.

A trillion dollar company shouldn't have to resort to using a trash company like LRG for their physical releases. I guarantee if Xbox never bought Zenimax, then HiFi Rush would've had a standard retail physical release instead of a crappy LRG roll out.

Eternights is a $30 indie game and got a regular retail physical release, Pacific Drive is another indie game that's only $40 and has a proper physical release. If these tiny companies can do it, then Microsoft should easily be able to as well.....

Of course it is better, anything above 0 is better in this case.

Is there room for improvement? of course.

 

[Sunrise Ninja]

If these tiny companies can do it, then Microsoft should easily be able to as well.....

Because Microsoft have condition their player base to not buy games and i don't think there is any going back from that mistake.

The fact that Microsoft also uses lower capacity blurays, Xbox gamers are always going to have to download additional parts of the game that can't fit on the disc so it's like Microsoft is forcing digital era on their consumers And it's just inconvenient if I'm buying a game and I can't play it without an Internet connexion and downloading the rest it's just I might as well just go digital.

 

[Jim Ryan]

I hear many people complain about this company, does a body have experience with them?

 

[Box]

I hear many people complain about this company, does a body have experience with them?

Parts are often broken or missing, their customer service is very slow. Stock is always super low.

Standard stuff, but we have no other choice.

 

[JAHGamer]

I hear many people complain about this company, does a body have experience with them?

I do, when I order something, I don't expect it for 6 months to a year. Once I received a package from them and I completely forgot that I ever ordered it. They're horrible, I try to avoid them as much as I can but unfortunately they get a lot of exclusive physical releases

 

[Etifilio]

the best selling first party DIGITAL PlayStation game has sold 8M copies (a game that sold a total of over 20M copies), Physical has 60%+ of the sales for Sony's own first party titles, there is absolutely no chance of them ending support for physical media in the next 10 + years, if you look at God Of War Ragnarok, it sold 4M copies digitally, the rest was all physical (game sold 15M copies), and considering all bundle copies of GOW Ragnarok came with a digital voucher, these 4M copies sold digitally were also bundle copies, there is absolutely no way Sony will stop support for physical media on PS6/7 because they depend on it, consumers on the platform are still buying a lot of physical games, specially for their own first party exclusive titles, PlayStation is the platform for physical game collectors, contrary to Xbox that wants to kill physical media at all costs to lock consumers in their digital storefront and subscriptions, Sony keeps investing in it

last month they opened a new physical game factory in Manaus, Brazil with the most advanced technology, the factory will distribute physical PlayStation games across all countries in the South America, including Brazil (of course), Argentina, Chile and Colombia, this factory is specialized in manufacturing UHD Blu Ray discs with 100GB of capacity (PS5 discs)

that must also be the reason why they're doing this detacheable disc drive, because people who buy a digital PS5 can upgrade eventually buying the disc drive and easily placing it on their digital PS5s, this same model can also work for the PS6/7 and beyond, simply place a disc drive in it, play your physical library at any time

 

[Johnic]

 

[Nhomnhom]

PS6 will have some sort of optional physical media, PS7 migth not even exist.

 

[Zzero]

The form factor revision was so that they only had to make a single system type (and then could stick the drives in the box for people who wanted them).

 

[MiyazakiLovesKojima]

SONY IS VITA. LONG LIVE SONY.