Opinion: New Generation, New Habits

Do we still need physical media?

For years, we have always bought games on cartriges, discs, magnetic cards, floppy disks, I mean I think the source code for Pong is still available somewhere on a stone tablet. But do we still have to do it this way?

In the beginning, cartridges were expensive to produce and procure. and it was almost a point of pride displaying all your games for your friends. It was also assumed that these games were worth something. And for a lucky few they were. I mean some classics actually retained some value. But for most, you can go to a thrift shop and take your pick of the best of yesteryear.

But back then physical media also was expandable, storage was expensive and we had to keep shoehorning ever growing games on carts (and for the most part adding memory to the carts themselves was the answer). But optical media really changed all that.

Back in the day, DVD’s were amazing, Blu Ray discs were mind blowing, but we have gone beyond that. Beyond a bit of artwork you could knock out at Kinko’s and a jewel case that’s identical to the one used on a Teletubbies Bluray what have we really gotten that’s worth clinging to in the optical media era?

We are on the verge of ditching physical media (all we need is a proper method of interpersonal license lending and we’re golden). The next gen consoles have enough storage and options for backing up digital purchases that we don’t really need discs anymore.  Games with Gold and Playstation Plus really hammer this home;  we can at this point have an entire library at our disposal without putting in a disc.

Now I understand the argument of “I want to be able to sell my games?” I have to ask, is anyone getting any semblance of a return on their games? I don’t see anyone investing in Call of Duty discs any time soon.

And for those folks who say, “I live in an area where I don’t have broadband.” A digital download kiosk at a local store is more than possible. This isn’t 1999 anymore, we can find answers that don’t involve discs.

We have done things for so long that we now abide a certain sentimentality to dominate the way we console gamers view video games. Steam proves that this can work (and by not worrying about physical media costs can offer hefty discounts).

Can we please, one day soon, just go digital

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