OneTime said: When kids stop getting Birthday and Xmas gifts? |
You can print a nice little thing with some images, a short message and a code though. I already did that once for my son when he wanted some PC game that wasn't available physically. He was quite happy about it. I mean people are already gifting gift cards left and right. I don't see a reason why that shouldn't work with codes for Steam, PSN and so on.
Physical media will probably be around forever, as there is a niche that quite enjoys it. Just look at the rise of vinyl. As for video games, stuff like Limited Run seems to enjoy quite a following. So if we include that, physical games will be around for quite some time. Sony and Microsoft could probably end their production of consoles with a disc drive as early as next gen. As for Nintendo, I fully expect the successor of the Switch to have physical media.
I expect official end of support from the big companies for physical media sometime in the next decade. But like I said, even when Nintendo, Sony and MS finally ditch that for good, physical media itself will still stick around in one way or another.
Official member of VGC's Nintendo family, approved by the one and only RolStoppable. I feel honored.