The lack of physical media options hurts consumers and video game fans.
Video games have been a big passion for me since childhood. I have great memories of getting a game at the store, grabbing it on the way home, and being so excited to connect it to my console and play. I would read the manual that came with the game and actually hold a magnifying glass to the cover art. Physical games are a big part of my life. So why can’t we find them anymore? And why is this a travesty for the video game industry?
First, where did this come from? Well, at the beginning of the semester, I wrote an article on this topic titled “Physical Media Beats Digital.” News broke that Best Buy would be removing certain physical media, including games, movies, and shows. Why is this a big deal? Isn’t streaming the best way? Some people may prefer to watch shows digitally on Netflix rather than plugging in a Blu-ray disc, but the problem lies in there is. Digital ownership is just a farce.
Companies like Netflix and Warner Bros. are constantly moving shows and movies on their platforms, and it’s frustrating. This isn’t just limited to streaming companies. When it comes to video game consoles and PCs, digital ownership is paramount when it comes to owning games for many people. That being said, companies like Sony, owner of PlayStation, have recalled digital products online. Yes, in recent years Sony has recalled digital copies from various IPs due to contracts with certain companies expiring. This basically means that if you own certain movies or TV shows digitally, you will no longer be able to access them.
In addition to this, Sony even tried to discontinue its online store for its PlayStation 3, PlayStation Vita, and PlayStation Portable game consoles in recent years. Although these systems are old, they are very popular among fans. When Sony first announced this, it received such negative feedback from fans that Sony decided to reverse its decision to shut it down. How insane is that? A multi-billion dollar company is knee deep in response to tons of feedback from fans, which is completely unbelievable. See the problem here? Digital ownership is so easy and accessible, but it’s wrong. If you own something digitally, you don’t actually own it. These giant corporations can take it away from you with a snap of their fingers.
What is real ownership? something physical. If you love watching Kindergarten Cop on Netflix, what do you do if it gets removed after a few months? We hope it’s moved to your favorite streaming service. What if you had it physically? There’s nothing to worry about. Insert it into your media player at any time. Hell, most devices these days can play Blu-ray. Do you own a PlayStation or Xbox from 2010? You’re golden. i love this. I’ve always been a physical person when it comes to entertainment. Both when I was a child and now.
Recently, a few games have been released that I’m really looking forward to. Mainly games such as “Tekken 8”, “Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth”, “Persona 3 Reload”, and “Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth”. Well, I’ve written all of this, but my wallet is full this month. All of these games I wanted to play and enjoy, and I physically fought hard to get them. I usually buy games on Amazon and have them shipped to me. When I wanted to buy both “Tekken” and “Like a Dragon,” I was shocked to find that they were out of stock on Amazon.
I bought Tekken at Best Buy, which was good enough, but Like a Dragon wasn’t so easy. This game was out of stock everywhere I looked, including Amazon, Best Buy, and GameStop. I called GameStop and told the cashier about the game. When I asked why there wasn’t a physical copy, the person said that GameStop gets physical copies based on the number of pre-orders, and this game has zero pre-orders. I was shocked. I didn’t know how it worked. When I called Walmart, a store as big as Walmart only had two copies in stock. What a world we live in!
Physical media, whether it’s movies or games, is on the decline. This is bad. Especially when it comes to games. Movies are always re-released on DVD, Blu-ray, or 4K discs. On the other hand, what about games? There are literally thousands of games that were released in the past that are no longer playable on modern platforms. I’ll talk about preserving games in another column another day, but I can’t bear to see physical copies becoming extinct. Look at the covers and manuals of games from the 2000s and compare them to today’s games. It used to have very detailed information on the case, manual, and inside. now? Details are sparse, but most include legal warnings and sometimes advertisements for other games.
The current state of physical video games is truly tragic. How can I fix this? Well, similar to what happened with Sony, game publishers need to realize that physical media is essential. It’s the most consumer-friendly thing possible. It’s always best to physically own something. Video games are an important medium. No other medium allows viewers to interact directly with the story and characters. If we don’t take physical media more seriously, it will go down the same path as the Dodo.
Nicholas Scanelli is a senior majoring in English.
The views expressed on the opinion pages represent the opinions of the columnists. The only articles that represent the views of the Pipe Dream Editorial Board are staff editorials.
