It's become very popular for people to say that video games are shifting to digital these days. The argument is that eventually, every video game will be digital and there will be no such thing as physical disks, cartridges, or what have you. I'm not saying this argument is wrong, I just think it's pretty unlikely. I think it's unlikely because just like vinyls and hard-cover books, people will always want something physical to cherish.
Let's be clear, I love Steam, PSN, eShop, etc. I find the value of Steam sales and flexible pricing model of digital platforms to be an incredible boon for our video game industry. On the other hand, I also love my beautiful The Last of Us Survival Edition, with it's beautiful aluminum tin and incredibly large high quality art book.
The collector's editions and physical copies of my games are not just wasted plastics for me, they're like badges of honor and medals of victories. They help define me as a gamer and more importantly define me as an individual. Every film enthusiast has collections of film reels and betamaxs. Every music enthusiast has vinyls and CDs. Physical media is very important to us, and it will continue to exist for the foreseeable future.
But the reality is, physical games are just too much of a hassle for every video game developer to deal with. Games like Journey or Bastion just would not have survived if they had to factor in the cost of physical game cases, manuals, shipping, and retail.
On the other hand, physical games are pretty useful. Physical games can be shipped to countries with little or no internet connections. Physical games can help grow brick and motor shops and expand gaming culture. Physical games can also establish tangible meaning and connection with audiences. Considering you have a good publisher and industry reputation, physical games can be the best way to get your AAA game out there.
What we end up with is an amalgamy of physical and digital games. Like vinyl records and hard-cover books, physical games and collector's editions give us something to hold on to with the games we treasure. On the other hand, digital gives developers the flexibility to establish a price point that makes sense to them and worry less paying for physical stuffs.
Yes, games are shifting to digital. It's inevitable, just as music has shifted to MP3s and movies have shifted to streaming. But physical media will not die. We do not need one to dominate the other. This doesn't need to be a war, and I don't think it's worth an argument. We do not need an industry with all digital or all physical games. The two can work together and deliver an incredible variety of stunning experiences. The next time someone brings up the growing popularity of digital games, don't think about it as a war or battle. Instead, consider the possibility that we might be entering a new golden age of video games. An age where the two forms work together to bring the absolute best that video games have to offer.
