Is Physical Gaming Dead? Inside Sony’s Push for a Digital-Only Future

The Gaming’s Shift to a Digital Only Landscape

Game preservation has been a constant worry for those who like to own their purchases. There are many cases where we’ve seen that we don’t own the products we purchase, and the last bastion against evil is slowly being eliminated by the market. I specifically say the market, because the consumer obviously favors digital games, and it’s easy to see why. In fact, I am one of them.

Pros of Digital Gaming

The most obvious benefit of digital gaming is convenience. Back when I was a kid, you could download games or purchase them through the online store, but it was more common to go to whichever store was closest to you to get them. This, of course, means getting into your car, dealing with whoever’s on the road, walking inside the store, purchasing it, and then doing the reverse. This doesn’t sound bad, and it’s because it isn’t, but imagine being tired or having a bad day. Suddenly, being able to sit down, purchase the game online, download it within a couple of minutes to an hour, and just play it sounds very appealing.

There’s also the benefit of variety. As we move further into the digital-only video game age, we get to see a variety of games shine. Back when physical games were the only way to game, you’d only see AAA games. I remember how Braid, Fez, and Super Meat Boy were digital-only releases, and they were different from the usual stuff I played or saw on the shelves. And thanks to Steam, I’ve been able to explore many odd, addicting, and exciting games that I can’t find in the AAA market, many which will never get a physical release.

Yet, as a PC gamer, while I’m used to being part of a digital-only eco-system, as I look at my PS2 and Wii, and the many games I still own and preserve, I can’t help but feel that this could head towards something dreadful

It May Just be Sony Now, but When’s Xbox Doing It?

Sony’s phasing out production of physical disks—as they did say you will be able to buy game codes, presumably—is making rounds, and for good reasons. While many are worried about preservation, which is very valid, I think there’s something else that should be mentioned. It was only a while ago that we heard about Sony’s dynamic pricing, and paired with their digital only push, it sets a dangerous precedent for consumers, especially when games are now reaching the $80 price point. It’s important to note that gaming is a hobby, which can be stopped at any moment, but it’s also an escape for many people, an escape people are willing to spend their hard-earned cash on.

But Sony isn’t the only one doing this, as Xbox sees itself as a platform more than just a console, as they continue to add more to their gamepass. Xbox already advertises itself with its convenience of being able to play any game on any device, so they’re not that far behind Sony, with now rumors surging that Project Helix may be digital only.

How Bad Is This?

Think about it this way. If they’re all pushing for a digital only landscape, then why are games getting more expensive? They’re not fabricating thousands of copies, shipping them to various locations, and then losing money on discs not sold, not to mention not spending money on such logistics. They are simply putting them on the online market, ready for you to buy and game.

If Sony continues to move forward with dynamic pricing, don’t you think other companies will try it? And if everything truly becomes digital-only, what do you own? What happens if you get hacked or banned? Will it be easier to recover your account, games, or purchases when you’re talking to A.I. and not a person? And what will happen with that game that shuts down or gets delisted? Stop Killing Videogames is still doing a push for this, but will every game be available forever?

It’s hard to look at this and think that it won’t affect me. After all, I purchase all my games through Steam, only buying physical copies for my Switch. But maybe that’s the solution, maybe I should only stick to Steam and Nintendo products. I mean, they haven’t done anything wrong, right?

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