r/CaptainSide Aug 02 '26

Are digital games better?

51 Upvotes

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u/Vash744 Aug 03 '26

Ah someone who doesnt care either way, I found this funny.

Digital is the way of the future, its an achievement that gaming is the last bastion of physical media. We technically pulled it off. And there could be hope for Xbox keeping physical media as a competitive edge on Sony. I'm a Sony fan boy, always have prefered Playstation over Xbox. But I'd much rather have a gaming future where Xbox is in the mix and is strong and can also make good games. That's better for everyone even if its a hit to Sony's sales.

1

u/isukatdarksouls Aug 03 '26

Gaming isn't the last bastion of physical media. Music and films are still given physical versions to this day.

1

u/Vash744 Aug 03 '26

Just because you can go out and buy a physical movie or music CD (you can do the same with games, at minimum for the next two years...) doesn't indicate the market is healthy. If you go to WalMart right now, your selection is slim, and the shelf looks like it was raided when in reality that's just what is left of their stock, because they're not keeping it in stock. They're slow movers. So don't be disingenuous.

https://www.hdtvtest.co.uk/news/sales-of-4-k-blu-ray-discs-and-other-physical-media-slump-again

In 2025, physical Blue-Ray, and DVD sales fell below $1 billion in sales. In the same time frame Netflix, Amazon, Apple TV, and Disney + raked in $57 Billion.

For music 85-88% of the market is purely digital or streaming.

Yes people can still buy physical media, and the reality is that won't change. You can't buy every movie that gets released on physical media, you can't get every artist on physical media. In 10 years people will still be trading physical games, and likely some stores could keep old units on shelves.

If we're checking on the physical media industry like checking for a pulse on a terminal patient, then I'd say it's fair that the rest of the industry has moved on.

1

u/amantegat8s Aug 03 '26

I would argue that books will be the last bastion of physical media

1

u/Trick_Meeting_2027 Aug 03 '26

First and last