They may transition to fewer stores with fewer options and not buying much inventory but there will be stores for a good time.

No, retailers aren't gonna stop selling consoles just because the industry will go predominantly digital. We arent in the era of PSP go.

Instead of physical games, they will sell cash cards (just like app store/google play), digital download codes, online memberships, controllers, accessories, etc, and even in game items like this: https://www.amazon.ca/Warner-Bros-Fortnite-Freeze-PlayStation/dp/B07JD2HVJL

https://www.amazon.com/gp/bestsellers/2018/videogames/ref=zg_bs_tab_t_bsar

look at this, 8 of the top 15 bestsellers of 2018 are gift cards/memberships. and the rest are consoles, controllers, and accessories, with only two being physical games.

So yeah, no video game crash is about to happen.

You mentioned "my part of the world" a few times.

What part of the world might that be? Because if you corrected me and made statements regarding internet for a country that you don't live in...boy would that be disinjenuos and arrogant....

Lets make this simple.

It doesn't matter what part of the world you are in. Chances are you are getting "more internet" for the same amount of money today than say you would have been paying 5yrs ago.

Thats how it is "in my part of the world" and how it is everywhere else. Nothing arrogant about that. Its just how it is. It may not be as good as you want it to be, or you may be paying for 20Mb/s what others in other parts of the world are paying for 80Mb/s; but at the end of the day... the internet in wherever you live has improved over the last 5-10yrs. 

If it hasn't then where you live is an anomaly or the exception and shouldn't be used as grounds for a debate.

Just 3 years ago $50 got me 6Mb/s. Now it gets me 20mb/s. Tell me which part of the world you live and I will probably be able to show you similar improvements over the last 10yrs.

Here https://tradingeconomics.com/united-states/internet-speed

That shows internet speeds in NA for the past 10yrs. Going from the average of 8Mb/s in 2008 to around 20Mb/s in 2017. That is proof that internet speeds are getting better and that they will continue t do so at the same cost of entry.

You didn't answer my question. Where are you from.

I live in Utah, United States. My area has three providers. Comcast, CenturyLink and Google Fiber.

Comcast is cable internet. Our apartment is signed up for their most expensive package. We average $30 Mbps. But depending on traffic on that coaxial line - it can go as low as 10 Mbps. We pay $80. CenturyLink is a DSL internet company. This is the one who services most of the city, but being a DSL company - their services are limited and more or less boils down to one option - 10mbps/$35 a month.

Now, I don't know about YOUR "area", but here in the United States, 10 Mbps speed is dog shit. Both in download AND upload speed. Have you tried playing peer/peer online games like Call of Duty? It doesn't work, and if it does it's only for a few minutes.

Dedicated servers aren't any different. Sure, the ping is more stable, but you're bandwidth is still dogshit on 10mbps and you'll inevitably get disconnected. I experienced this playing Titan Fall 2 on a daily basis.

Google Fiber is the best option. But its servicable areas are extremely limited and there's a giant waiting list for them to come out to your house.

American internet is shitty and unreliable for many reasons. A few are obvious ones, like archaic copper tubes, intentional bandwidth degredation, and the fact that you'll receive about 40% - 50% of advertised speeds regardless of who the provider is. (Our Xfinitity package lists 70 Mbps)

Couple this with the fact that internet companies arent regulated and answer to nobody, while ALSO buying rights to service certain counties and cities. Which in turn creates a monopoly. Unsatisfied with your internet or said company's business practices? Tough shit. Those are your only options, internet companies are buying whole businesses from movie studios, streaming services, and many others - which will inevitably create more monopolies.

Trust me when I tell you this - majority of Americans ARE NOT SATISFIED with their internet, and the stability of it is questionable at best. So that's why I say that the video game industry shouldn't rush into online only territory.

Where I am from isn't where I have lived the last 10yrs. I am currently living in St. Kitts. An island in the caribbean. I have also lived in the UK and about 5 other countries around the world for no less than 2 years each.

Now what has where I live got to do with my point that internet speeds "worldwide" keep getting better?

Which mind you' was the basis of my point in saying that physical media is eventually going to become obsolete.

You are making this about something else all in in attempt to dismiss the point I have made..... the whole can't attack the point so attack the person thing.

Answer these simple question. In the past 10yrs... has the internet in whereever you live (and for a fixed price of your choosing) gotten either faster, more reliable or more accessible/common/widespread? 

Have you gone from paying X amount of money for dialup to paying the same X amount or less for broadband?

If the answers to both those questions is yes..... then I really don't know what point you are still trying to make.

And if you say no to either of those questions....  then you are either weren't in  position t pay for an internet bill 10yrs ago and basically only knew internet as bradband or you are flat out lying.

I had to fill in the original comment at a later time cuz I'm at work. My previous comment has been edited.

Some will close, big chains will need to reorganize themselves, resizing stores, optimising their number and locations. It's possible that current companies go bankrupt in the process and others take over their business and finish this job. But they won't disappear soon, most people like go shopping when they have time, and gamers are no exception, some will be happy to go either fully digital or online for physical purchases, but many will still buy at least part of their game library at physical shops. Not to mention those that have difficulties to collect deliveries. It's also possible that online chains take over brick and mortar ones and integrate them, using physical stores also as delivery points for the aforementioned people with problems with home delivery.

Looking at the speeds you posted it seems to be much better than 5 years ago in your country and much better than even today in Brazil (which have been continuously improving in the last decade as well). So basically you agreed with his point that internet is improving, even if not at your desired speed or being currently on ideal state.

sorry for the late response..... work too lol.

I understand what you are saying, and funny enough it just means you are agreeing with what I originally said.

Now as I said originally.... your speeds may not be what you want them to be, but its still getting better. And the same can be said fr everywhere else on the planet that there is internet.

I was not talking about the quality of your internet because that can vary on so mny levels that there isn't any point debating it. Like take my 20Mb/s service. I consistently et 17Mb/s - 20Mb/s every single day and its flawless for online gaming and everything else. But thats probably just because on my island throttling isn't nearly as bad for me as it is for you.

But your internet is still better than what it was 5yrs ago or more. and will continue to get better. Thats thanks to competition.

Now I am not saying anyone should rush into online delivery..... but simply pointing out that its eventually going to first become the primary delivery method and then ultimately become the only delivery method. Thats just a fact of the tech and the times. Eventually..... it may be 5yrs from now, r ten years from now..... It will cost you lesss and take less time downloading a game that going to a store and buying it or waiting for it to come in the mail.

And the funny thing about this is that for people like you that live in places like NA.... this change/shift will be delayed. But for people like me that live in the caribbeans, africa or a lot of other parts of the world this is accelerated. Why? Cause its cheaper (and takes way less time) for us to just download a game than to go on amazon, buy game, ship it, wait a week to receive it, clear customs then get our game. 

I hear a lot aout physical media and the reluctance in general to shift to digital only.... but that shift will happen. It won't be a forced shift, it will be a logistical one. Cause at the end of the day people will always go with whats cheaper and more convenient for them.