I’m a download only guy, and have been for about a decade on consoles, and even longer on PC and mobile. To me, the substance of a video game is the data containing the experience and its assets, not the medium.
BUT
For people who want a plug and play-like experience, I think it’s an enormous amount of bullshit that a company makes you download a bunch of stuff to be able to play the game you bought on a plug and play device, a game card, cartridge, or disk. So, I can see the issue that physical object collectors see with this.
On the other hand, most publishers these days see physical storefronts as a means of distribution and advertisement. In other words, they don’t care if they’re selling you a voucher code on paper - as long as they get eyes on their product and people who want to impulse or gift buy. So, aI can understand how people who are collectors will feel screwed by the current paradigm.
O what will likely happen is the market will move primarily to download only, and the collectable side will remain, with the physical storefront for download vouchers and such will disappear over time. That’s my working prediction at least.
I describe myself as a little dose of toxic masculinity.
