The continuing decline in availability of physical media

[kurosagi01]

The other thing that is kinda bizarre now at least in digital game sector, they are now costing as much as standard physical copy. For me the extra freedom of buying physical is the option to sell/trade it in for something else, even if it lost a bit of value. If they implemented something similar for digital then cool but they haven't, the only time I would buy a digital game at full price is if its a game I really wanted from day 1 and i'll primarily play it on PC then I will. But if a physical copy is cheaper than the digital copy, even on a sale then I will be getting the physical copy for whatever console game i'm getting.

 

[malachi]

The other thing that is kinda bizarre now at least in digital game sector, they are now costing as much as standard physical copy.

Where are you seeing this!?!? All the games I see are cheaper physically compared to the digital store directly, even on release.

 

[dlockers]

The other thing that is kinda bizarre now at least in digital game sector, they are now costing as much as standard physical copy. For me the extra freedom of buying physical is the option to sell/trade it in for something else, even if it lost a bit of value. If they implemented something similar for digital then cool but they haven't, the only time I would buy a digital game at full price is if its a game I really wanted from day 1 and i'll primarily play it on PC then I will. But if a physical copy is cheaper than the digital copy, even on a sale then I will be getting the physical copy for whatever console game i'm getting.

PC gaming hasn't really worked like that for a while though has it? CD Keys etc.

 

[dirtychinchilla]

I buy vinyl too. That's more about listening to an album instead of skipping through stuff like I normally would. I found a good app on iOS that's good for this called Albums. I know you can play an album on Apple Music, but it forces you to basically. It's nice.

I have quite a few books, but I never read physical books any more. It's all Kindle. It's more about how I read than anything else; I read a lot and I read in bed in the dark, so books aren't really workable. When I was younger, I used to get a sore thumb from holding a book open for hours. Kindle stopped that awful torture

 

[Gerard]

I think you're overlooking the impact of inflation on gaming prices.

In the 00s, a AAA title would retail at £50 or so. 20 years later, an AAA title still retails at £50 or so.

We can even use some titles as a direct comparison. In 2004, Microsoft Flight Simulator retailed at $43. In 2024 in now retails for $59.99.

If prices had risen in line with inflation, we would be seeing Flight Sim retailing at closer to $74. Gaming has gotten cheaper in absolute terms.

From what I recall AAA pc games in the early 2000s used to cost in the £30-£35 range. Flight sims were always a bit more costly.

Pretty sure my copy of BF1942 has the receipt in the case, will have to take a look later.

 

[kurosagi01]

Where are you seeing this!?!? All the games I see are cheaper physically compared to the digital store directly, even on release.

PC gaming hasn't really worked like that for a while though has it? CD Keys etc.

I am talking about MSRP price, if you look at the PSN store and then compare physical copy price they are about the same.
For example: Spiderman 2 on PSN store is £69.99 vs Amazon price with a RRP price at £69.99 as well.
Of course PC has benefits of CDkey but if you was to buy directly from like steam etc they are like 10-15 more than key sellers.

 

[jeffk]

Super Street Fighter 2 on the SNES was £70. That’s £181.55 in 2024 money - more than the Ultimate Platinum Haaland edition of EA FC 24.

 

[Gerard]

Super Street Fighter 2 on the SNES was £70. That’s £181.55 in 2024 money - more than the Ultimate Platinum Haaland edition of EA FC 24.

I remember the big kick up about the original costing £60, my snes came with it bundled. The Super iteration didn't sell very well on snes from what i remember.

 

[Mercenary Keyboard Warrior]

People in the physical will last forever camp need to recognise the things that have destroyed that for our known history...
- theft
- fire
- water
etc

I lost all my vinyl to water damage, the records themselves were fine, but all the sleeves were buggered.

There is far higher availability now, not just at new but also at age.
Outside of items that had a long term appeal, many items would physically become unavailable very very quickly. I remember many hours spent trawling second hand record shops for older rock that I had picked up on many years after it had ceased to be available in new record stores.
Chart singles (often different to album versions and no B sides), films that "flopped", especially albums from one hit wonder type bands. etc
The physical stores, even the really large ones, could only have a small selection in effect.

I suppose if there are digital games that you really want to keep there is nothing from stopping you going retro to HDD storage. It very cheap for a lot of storage that you can simply shove in a cupboard.
Personally whilst I say I will replay many games there are very very few over history I have done so.
Oddly the ones I have replayed have been due to the fact they have become available digitally (often free or bundled), such as Starcraft 1 with expansion that Blizzard gave away for free.

 

[Malevolence]

Surely you just set it to dl over night and/or when you are at work? Would take a couple of days at most

Not really, because that then saturates the connection and anything else that needs the internet is nigh on unusable.

 

[Mercenary Keyboard Warrior]

Not really, because that then saturates the connection and anything else that needs the internet is nigh on unusable.

Cant say for sure with all services but my experience is they allow download capping

Steam for example, You can also set a limit to the download speed, so it doesn't take up your entire connection while it's going. Go to the “Steam” menu, then “Settings” and “Downloads” for all related options.

 

[Malevolence]

Cant say for sure with all services but my experience is they allow download capping

Steam for example, You can also set a limit to the download speed, so it doesn't take up your entire connection while it's going. Go to the “Steam” menu, then “Settings” and “Downloads” for all related options.

Yeah, but then the download is going to take even longer. So by the time you've downloaded and installed a new game you're constantly playing catch-up with gear and the like. It's just no fun, especially when you don't get much time to play anyway..

 

[Mercenary Keyboard Warrior]

Yeah, but then the download is going to take even longer. So by the time you've downloaded and installed a new game you're constantly playing catch-up with gear and the like. It's just no fun, especially when you don't get much time to play anyway..

The point is, when your using the PC you can limit the download, when your not or you know you need more bandwidth you can.

If you haven't got enough bandwidth pay for more

Its just a bit of a weak argument when the majority of the UK has access to perfectly decent download speeds.

 

[Malevolence]

The point is, when your using the PC you can limit the download, when your not or you know you need more bandwidth you can.

If you haven't got enough bandwidth pay for more

Its just a bit of a weak argument when the majority of the UK has access to perfectly decent download speeds.

And how do I pay for more bandwidth when I already have the fastest currently available at my property?

 

[Mercenary Keyboard Warrior]

And how do I pay for more bandwidth when I already have the fastest currently available at my property?

Yes I agree there will be some who are still limited, for now
But its not an issue for the vast majority now

What mobile networks can you get, and have you checked starlink speed?

 

[malachi]

Super Street Fighter 2 on the SNES was £70. That’s £181.55 in 2024 money - more than the Ultimate Platinum Haaland edition of EA FC 24.

With or without season pass?

 

[Scort]

Game have always taken the **** with second hand prices, had numerous instances where a new game on offer, was cheaper than a second hand on - often only a shelf away!

I presume they are stopping as they have a huge inventory of second hand stock - if they priced them more attractively, they would shift the stock.

Cex aren't much better either imo

 

[Coolasmoo]

We just bought a few games for our girls on the Switch and in the boxes were just download codes.

They cant share them so had to buy 2 of each...

 

[Meridian]

I buy physical for music and books, but not for games. There are a number of factors:

1) I'm old
2) More importantly, I own it. If your media is electronic then you are leasing the product. But you still pay the same. The owners can withdraw it, ban you from it, alter it, anything. If it's mine I can do pretty much anything with it: sell it, give it away, donate it to charity etc.

I exempt games these days because, yea, Steam is way more convenient. I still have physical copies of any game bought before about 2019 that I think I might still be playing in twenty years - if I live that long. That is only about a dozen games though.

 

[The_Arbiter]

I much prefer physical for the multiple reasons stated previously, but i'd be content with all digital if it were cheaper. I consume not much digital media so buying film disks works out dirt cheap. Though the availability of new series on disc isn't possible, so occasional streaming will have to do. Bandcamp and GOG are my preferred digital sellers. GOG allow game installers to be downloaded...

But the sheer ease of grabbing a cartridge/disc and playing it are great, with less to go wrong too.

The consequence of millions of games/music/films/series online results in the difficulty of having to filter out the junk, which is annoying as hell.

I don't think either is a perfect solution.