No, Physical Media Isn’t Dead, Even If Some Retailers Are Giving Up
Do I like digital stuff? Sure. It’s more convenient to queue up a digital movie than it is on disc, and it’s way more convenient to own digital games because people can’t ask to borrow them and then never return them.
That said, I also like collecting my fair share of physical stuff, like my MXC: Most Extreme Elimination Challenge DVD set, my Mystery Science Theater 3000 films, and my growing collection of Shaw Brothersclassics from Shout Factory. Not to mention the films I imported just for the sake of watching whenever I want, including “imports” of Glass Onion and the Willow TV series. (Take that, Iger!)
But lately we’ve been seeing a trend, where stores seem to be dropping certain types of physical media. Best Buy has announced that it will no longer carry physical movies on its website or in-store starting in early 2024; and Walmart confirmed it’s working on a similar plan with its video games.
Of course, this has sent some on the Internet into a panic, wondering if this is, in fact, the end of physical media. Some believe it’s been coming for a long time now, especially with a lot of games dropping out of existence because they never got a fair shot at a physical release.
But is it really dead? Eh, not really.
Here’s the thing. Some stores have no choice but to change their tactics to survive with the times. Best Buy, for example, has suffered greatly against the likes of Amazon. (Not to mention their lack of quality customer service doesn’t help either.) So, yeah, they had to cut something loose, so their much-ignored collection of discounted movies seems to be at the top of the list. But, watch, it won’t do them any favors during the holiday season.
It’s probably just a matter of cutting excess of stuff that doesn’t sell for them. Now, on the negative side of that, that means no more collectible Steelbook cases — at least, from them. But, still, now we’ll see other retailers try to step up their game to fill in the void. Like, well, Amazon.
As for Walmart, it hasn’t exactly been the “go-to” for game sales for some time. They offer quite the selection of regular and discounted fare, of course, but people usually just go to Walmart for other things. So it kind of makes sense for them to cut back on games, even though, again, the holiday season will definitely be weird without them come next year.
But, to repeat, this isn’t the end of physical media.
Now, Disney will likely cut back its 4K releases in the future because the medium isn’t taking off like it hoping it would. But we’ll still see general Blu-Ray releases, as well as re-releases of stuff from Star Wars and Marvel that still caters to fans. And, hey, maybe James Cameron will finally allow The Abyss and True Liesto get those physical releases they deserve. Still waiting, Jim.
Also, did you see that VHS tapes are making a comeback? Like vinyl, there’s a certain appeal in grabbing old-school movies (particularly horror) that you can watch on a functioning VCR. And, yes, you can rewind when you’re done. (Or buy one of those self-rewinding machines, if you can find one.) It’s definitely a bit on the aged side, but for some people, there’s nothing like it. (Now if I could just find a copy of The Color of Space.)
But look at how many companies are releasing dedicated Blu-Ray releases. Too many. Shout Factory practically makes them their bread and butter, with a number of quality box sets, 4K re-releases and more that sell like hotcakes. And Umbrella is upping their game, with a special edition of the 1993 Super Mario Bros. movie that would make even the most dedicated hater drool. Those won’t die anytime soon, and the market will definitely see that interest flourish in the years ahead, even after Best Buy foolishly drops out.
Next, games. Sure, a lot of games have gone digital as of late, for the sake of convenience. But we’re seeing indie publishers step in and provide solutions for physical releases as well. Limited Run Games hasn’t always made the most sound business decisions, but they know what fans want. Heck, Gargoyles Remastered’s box set looks fantastic.
Not to mention Premium Edition Games, Super Rare Games and others that offer boxed games that do really well on the market. Granted, some are just resellers trying to take advantage of a hungry group of collectors, sadly, but at least there are companies that are keeping the interest of physical releases alive. That has to count for something.
Will physical eventually die out? There’s always the chance. But I just don’t see it happening now. Collectors are keeping the market fairly alive, even if some retailers aren’t feeling it anymore. And that’ll likely continue with new and old stuff alike for some time. I know I’ll never tire of physical releases, even as my digital library grows. There’s room for both.
Still, I can’t imagine a Christmas where I walk into a Best Buy and don’t walk out with a bunch of $3 Blu-Rays. It’s going to be weird.
Have a good week, all!
