Cyberpunkd
Gold Member
Companies. That subscription model for everything is always based on the most simple fact - that you are too stupid or lazy to cancel, thus continue to spend.
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Rumor from a single tweet: Target to stop selling physical media (movies and series) in-store and online by 2025
Heart_Attack
Member
Target electronic section has gone to shit anyway. Nothing of value was lost. All they carry are the same AAA Sony/Nintendo games. And CoD/GTA.
blastprocessor
The Amiga Brotherhood
Everyone buy physical now!!
Mattyp
Gold Member
Not the next generation but the one after that I can see it happening, everyone that's bought digital is to blame I'll tap out of gaming at that point.
People thought I was crazy for saying we're heading to subscription based streaming boxes but that's exactly where this is going and arriving quicker than my 20 year time line.
Thick Thighs Save Lives
NeoGAF's Physical Games Advocate Extraordinaire
So this rumor is about them ditching movies and music on physical media, and not about games. Still a valid concern for people who love physical media, but maybe the thread title should be updated to clarify this aspect, considering it was posted in the Gaming forum.
SmokedMeat
Gamer™
I doubt videogames bring customers to retailers, like they used to. Might as well use that space for other merchandise.
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MALpractice311
Member
Fuck it. If the next consoles are digital only, I'm out. And not just because of "you will own nothing", but also because AAA gaming has gone to absolute shit, outside of a few reliable devs. I'll just sit back with my PS5, take it offline, and eventually jailbreak it to replay all my old favorites and clear out my backlog.
King Dazzar
Member
The weird thing is, there's lots of steelbook limited runs with 4k now and many of them all sell out. And stuff on my wishlist holds its price for a long time. Sometimes never dropping and then eventually just going out of stock. Point is theres clearly a demand and it can be expensive too. Its also frustrating that many releases differ by region, even though 4k discs arent region locked. It does feel like its niche. (4k at least) But I'm sticking with it. Quality is simply better.
KungFucius
King Snowflake
If a product doesn't sell well online, why bother with it. It still costs money to maintain inventory. Free shipping is a cost. Dealing with the game supply chain is a cost.In store:
ONLINE:
Like who does this benefit? Why remove online in particular?
Personally I went from lets get a PS5 disc version so I can resell the few exclusives I buy for it, to Fuck it, I'm going digital.
hououinkyouma00
Member
I hate when people say this and I find it sad.
You would deprive yourself of great experiences just because you can’t have a dumb piece of plastic on a shelf?
Most of my favorite games are older, and I still think the 6th generation of gaming alongside that period of PC gaming is the greatest time of gaming and I highly doubt it will ever be dethroned.
That being said though, I would never deprive myself of stuff like Nier Automata, BoTW/ToTK, Persona 5, and many other modern greats.
Rocco Schiavone
Member
Spukc
always chasing the next thrill
Limited Fun.
RoboFu
One of the green rats
Or on my biggest video fantasy the major publishers just stay making games for genesis and snes again. Same stories as modern games. Cheaper development and more fun.
Badlucktroll
Member
Physical being dead just seems like an evolution, the next step. we don’t need plastic discs anymore now do we? (unless collector)
Tell me you are joking. Good luck with your game licenses being taken away when a publisher decides. It’s already happening.
Set sail and acquire your games by piracy if you are fine with all digital future. This is exactly what the industry wants (more control) and you are feeding right into it.
Just another reason why gaming is getting shittier and shittier these days. From IAP to season passes to zero ownership.
You kids know best though.
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StereoVsn
Member
Yep, I buy my favorite movies on 4K when they come out. Usually quality is amazing.
I just don’t get these companies getting out of even online selling. They are asking for Amazon to eat their lunch. Because even online when looking for physical disks you look at other stuff, suggestions, things other people bought and so on.
Personally I think it’s shortsighted of the big box retailers, but especially of BestBuy.
Naked Lunch
Member
My post was cynical sarcasm, sadly.
Ive pretty much given up on modern gaming at this point - and have since unearthed and restored the retro collection ive amassed for the past 40+ years.
I do truly hate Limited Run though - if thats all physical modern gaming diehards have left to stand by - I feel sorry for you.
Mr.Phoenix
Member
I have been digital-only since 2013, and I am all for the convenience of digital. However, I do have one very major gripe.
Digital pricing is daylight robbery.
First off, let's just get this out of the way, right off the bat, a digital download, should be fundamentally, cheaper than a physical purchase. For the simple fact that you are not (1) making/getting a disc and packaging (2) you are not shipping it and (3) it cannot be resold. There simply is no reason that a digital download should cost as much as a physical purchase.
And secondly, how in the world, do physical prices drop, but the digital prices stay the same? Eg. Take FF16 for instance. I have a mental soft cut out of $50 for most games, only a very few do I buy at full price, this usually means I wait a good while before I buy many games digitally at a price I am comfortable paying. You can imagine my dismay when I see a brand new physical game (so that's retailer cut, Sony cut, and third-party pub cut) for $45 on Amazon, and yet, the game is still $70 on the PS store. WTF?????????
I am not asking for too much, at the very least, at times like those at least let the digital game be $50.
It's almost as if Sony/MS are trying to punish you for buying digital. When in truth, it's in their best interest that you do.
I really hope this digital store thing is decentralized. They should allow third-party retailers to be able to stock and sell digital licenses. There are other ways Sony/MS can control what they get what they make from these games without having a monopoly on the distribution of digital content. Eg. Have game tiers... to start, fixed 30% platform cut. Tier 1 $70 game, the platform holder gets a fixed $20. So even if a retailer or publisher wants to sell that game for $30, the platform holder still gets $20. Tier 2 $40/$50 game, platform holder gets a fixed $10/$12 respectively. The same rules apply as above.
Yes, I find all this very annoying.
Digital pricing is daylight robbery.
First off, let's just get this out of the way, right off the bat, a digital download, should be fundamentally, cheaper than a physical purchase. For the simple fact that you are not (1) making/getting a disc and packaging (2) you are not shipping it and (3) it cannot be resold. There simply is no reason that a digital download should cost as much as a physical purchase.
And secondly, how in the world, do physical prices drop, but the digital prices stay the same? Eg. Take FF16 for instance. I have a mental soft cut out of $50 for most games, only a very few do I buy at full price, this usually means I wait a good while before I buy many games digitally at a price I am comfortable paying. You can imagine my dismay when I see a brand new physical game (so that's retailer cut, Sony cut, and third-party pub cut) for $45 on Amazon, and yet, the game is still $70 on the PS store. WTF?????????
I am not asking for too much, at the very least, at times like those at least let the digital game be $50.
It's almost as if Sony/MS are trying to punish you for buying digital. When in truth, it's in their best interest that you do.
I really hope this digital store thing is decentralized. They should allow third-party retailers to be able to stock and sell digital licenses. There are other ways Sony/MS can control what they get what they make from these games without having a monopoly on the distribution of digital content. Eg. Have game tiers... to start, fixed 30% platform cut. Tier 1 $70 game, the platform holder gets a fixed $20. So even if a retailer or publisher wants to sell that game for $30, the platform holder still gets $20. Tier 2 $40/$50 game, platform holder gets a fixed $10/$12 respectively. The same rules apply as above.
Yes, I find all this very annoying.
DonkeyPunchJr
World’s Biggest Weeb
I got the disc drive version so I could play my old PS4 games + blu ray movies. I haven’t bought a single physical PS5 game (and never inserted a PS4 disc for that matter).
Punished Miku
Human Rights Subscription Service
Personally, I think it's shifting so rapidly that the whole landscape is already substantially different than 2020.
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SportsFan581
Member
It's strange the way this can sneak up on you. I was livid about the X1 plans at announcement, 11 years later my complete physical X1/Series disk collection stands at 10 or 11 and everything else is digital.
There is just a convenience factor to it that is hard to ignore. Even though I'm a realist on the issue, hopefully the disks keep being an option (or Flash ROMs).
DonkeyPunchJr
World’s Biggest Weeb
Physical games suck, they almost have negative value nowadays. Used to be that it was fun to open up a game case. There’d be some cool artwork inside the liner + a manual with backstory, character bios, artwork, etc. The fancy ones would have a full color manual. I still open up my physical PS1 and DS cases sometimes just to look at them.
Now all you get is a flimsy plastic piece of shit with nothing inside but a game disc. And you have to get your ass off the couch to swap games. And it’s not like it saves you anything in return by “having” the game locally, you still have to install the game and download GBs of updates.
Physical games are clearly designed with one goal in mind: to be as cheap as possible to produce. I don’t even want that shit taking up space in my living room. They have already been dead to me for years.
Now all you get is a flimsy plastic piece of shit with nothing inside but a game disc. And you have to get your ass off the couch to swap games. And it’s not like it saves you anything in return by “having” the game locally, you still have to install the game and download GBs of updates.
Physical games are clearly designed with one goal in mind: to be as cheap as possible to produce. I don’t even want that shit taking up space in my living room. They have already been dead to me for years.
Shake Your Rump
Gold Member
You’ve never had the urge to sell, lend, or gift any of your games?
crackajack
Member
I guess Direct stores getting launched was the final nail in the coffin. You will be able to get physical for a while still, but nowhere else but the source. Keeping all profits to themselves. The required volume and good deals for any other, practically unnecessary market just died.
Games of Today
Member
It's not even close. Fuck Target, the second they started removing blu-ray I stopped caring about them.
And even when these huge online retailers stop carrying discs, you'll be able to buy new ones for years and years just like buying vinyl records.
Naked Lunch
Member
Vinyl records cannot, in any way or shape, be compared to modern videogames.
You don't have to download GBs worth of data/patches to play old records.
No - it seems eventually, youll be stuck with one-off companies like Limited Run - who only sell things in limited quantities and tiny time windows. Actually for many games like lower key indie titles or obscure Japanese ports - you already are forced to use LR. Its already happening.
AGRacing
Member
Remember when consoles were really different from each other? Wasn't that cool? I sure loved it.
Stop differentiating at your peril. People come to competitive platforms for their differences not their similarities. I bet Nintendo quietly roots for these changes. “Yes Sony and MS… more and more like a PC is the answer!”
I miss PlayStation 2 and 3.
Stop differentiating at your peril. People come to competitive platforms for their differences not their similarities. I bet Nintendo quietly roots for these changes. “Yes Sony and MS… more and more like a PC is the answer!”
I miss PlayStation 2 and 3.
Morrie’s wig shop
Member
Don’t worry guys, the next generation of kids (the infants and toddlers) will bring it back in about 20-25 years from now.
Once it’s “cool” again to have physical.
Always remember, Target didn’t sell vinyl until about 10 years ago because now it’s “cool” agin to listen to the lowest quality of recordings for music as possible and round and round we go.
Once it’s “cool” again to have physical.
Always remember, Target didn’t sell vinyl until about 10 years ago because now it’s “cool” agin to listen to the lowest quality of recordings for music as possible and round and round we go.
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thismeinteil
Member
You will own nothing and be happy.
Don't forget to pick up your adorably all-digital consoles. Games still $70 and we can take them away as we please.
Punished Miku
Human Rights Subscription Service
Digital is inevitable. People should be directing their angst towards legislation protecting digital consumer rights that is 10 years overdue.
DonkeyPunchJr
World’s Biggest Weeb
Games are nothing like vinyl.
Music is a finished product that doesn’t change over time, whereas all software has bugs and most games get several patches + updates over their lifetime.
The reason someone might buy a vinyl record is because you get this big album art/liner, and because the experience of physically putting on an album + dedicating time to listening one side at a time is different from fucking around with a streaming app on your phone.
And I’d wager most people who collect vinyl also have access to some music streaming service. Vinyl is more about collectible music memorabilia than about getting access to the music on the record.
A record can hold just as many minutes of 2024 music as it could 1974 music, whereas game sizes have grown exponentially and require R&D to develop new physical media to hold them, R&D that nobody wants to waste any money/effort on (lol maybe someone will revive development of HVD someday?)
And of course it means adding more expense/shit that can break to consoles, something that the console manufacturers would be all to happy to abandon.
StreetsofBeige
Gold Member
I agree.
But the one counter you'll get from $70 gamer and company supporters is that game budgets are big now, so they need to charge more despite it being a bits and bytes download.
Trogdor1123
Gold Member
I guess I better start buying some old school stuff. I’m literally all digital now but I don’t want it to only be that way. We have seen the crap companies get away with (did that crew thing ever get figured out?) and I’d rather not have those issues. Maybe more gig stuff as you can play those even offline, right?
It's the complete opposite. Physical movies have dropped 28% in the US just YoY. Physical games have only dropped in the low single digits YoY.
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Dr.Morris79
Gold Member
Buy physical everything now.
There will be buyers in the future. And if not, you still have the thing.
And if you don't buy it, I certainly will
There will be buyers in the future. And if not, you still have the thing.
And if you don't buy it, I certainly will
DenchDeckard
Moderated wildly
Yeah, I just have a feeling as more consoles drop disk drives etc that we will see a harsher drop.
Props to sony and nintendo users by keeping physical alive. I'm gonna hold on as long as possible. But, I buy 4k movies too.
Alan Wake
Member
Me neither. I think a lot of people will regret this in the future when they see the consequences of allowing a few big corporations to distribute games for us at the price and way they choose, including taking the games down, but then it will be too late.
Dr. Wilkinson
Gold Member
Confirmed: they sell things that people buy.
Dr. Wilkinson
Gold Member
what's the beef with rental? When I was a kid, literally nothing beat having my parents take me to Blockbuster to rent an N64 game I would never be able to convince my parents to buy for $60. Renting was how I played more than half of my favorite N64 games.
Orutisu Furio
Member
Go to any local target store now, their physical game selection is almost always empty or barren. This has been ongoing for the last few months and I noticed it after holiday 2023.
Dr. Wilkinson
Gold Member
Well, that actually makes sense. Typical sell-outs over the holiday season/ Christmas >Nintendo is in the midst of a platform transition > Nintendo possibly re-printing certain Switch games at a lower MSRP but that's not final yet > digital media is replacing physical, no question > Nintendo physical is the bulk of all physical game sales anymore.
doubt this is true. they still sell cds at target. Seems too early for Nintendo to abandon physical yet.
but at the same time, we all know physical media is not long for the world. Pcgaming has been all digital for ~15 years. MObile gaming is all digital.
And we know buying a game at Target or Walmart is a pain in the ass.
but at the same time, we all know physical media is not long for the world. Pcgaming has been all digital for ~15 years. MObile gaming is all digital.
And we know buying a game at Target or Walmart is a pain in the ass.
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Dr. Wilkinson
Gold Member
I haven't seen CDs at Targets in MI for a few years now. They do keep an endcap in Electronics for vinyl, but that's a consistent/ vibrant category again, albeit fairly niche.