#155 Sony's Physical Disc Production Halt Signals a Dim Future

The major shift from physical discs to digital.

Recently, the news broke that the production of physical discs is coming to an end. Reflecting on this, the personality discusses how the once-standard practice of buying packaged versions is now becoming a minority. As the entire industry steers toward digital sales, the realities faced by users are brought to light.

Digital is troublesome in terms of preservation and ownership.

While digital versions are convenient, they come with the inherent risk that data could become inaccessible at the discretion of the operator. Citing examples where stores for specific gaming consoles were shut down, rendering past games unplayable, the personality points out the fragility of games as assets. In an era where we purchase usage rights rather than ownership, the question of how we will preserve games of the past for the future is explored.

It makes us rethink how we will engage with games in the future.

If operators eventually terminate support for digital versions, how will we play the masterpieces of the past? Are we heading toward an all-digital future, or will alternative preservation methods be explored? For more on the changes that lie ahead, please be sure to listen to the full episode.