Katarzyna Petru
Just a decade ago, physical copies were the norm on consoles. Today, more and more gamers purchase games directly from digital stores like PlayStation Store and Microsoft Store. The reason is simple: convenience. Downloading a title without leaving home, no need to swap discs, and instant access to the library are arguments that are decisive for many users.
Economics and Market Control
Digital distribution means lower production and logistics costs. There’s no need to press discs, print covers, or transport goods to stores. Furthermore, platforms like PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series S in disc-free versions show that manufacturers are increasingly promoting a model without physical media. For companies, this also means greater control over pricing and promotions, as sales occur within a closed ecosystem.
Technological Limitations of Discs
Modern games can take up 100 GB or more. Even if they are on a Blu-ray disc, they often still require large updates to be downloaded on launch day. In practice, the medium often serves merely as a key for installation rather than a complete, standalone game release. With the increasing size of production, physical media is becoming an ineffective solution.
Is the return of discs still possible?
Technically, there is nothing preventing the continued release of games on physical media. The problem lies more in market trends than in hardware capabilities. Consoles with drives still exist, and collectors continue to buy boxed versions. However, the dominance of digital distribution means that the share of discs is steadily decreasing, and it's hard to expect the trend to reverse.
Physical discs for consoles haven't completely disappeared, but they have stopped being the main sales channel. The convenience of digital stores, lower costs for producers, and growing game sizes are naturally shifting the market towards files instead of plastic. A return to disc dominance is unlikely, although there is still room in the market for collectors and fans of traditional editions.
