@inclementimmigrant@lemmy.world
Only 7 PlayStation games have sold over 100,000 physical copies in the US this year, says analyst, as commenters demand discs without buying them
2026-07-21 01:13 UTC
Replies (4)
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@VerdantTome@programming.dev 2026-07-21 03:48
All of this just dilutes the real issue. Ask the majority of people who are complaining about a lack of physical media why they want physical media, and they’ll tell you that it’s so corporations can’t take it away from them after a year or two. This can still happen with physical media. Physical media on consoles these days is already closer to a download key than a complete, ready-to-play game. At the same time, it’s been proven possible to run a profitable business with DRM-free downloads. I’d suggest that AAA publishers use DRM for 12-24 months, then switch to DRM-free, because they’re concerned about the critical initial sales period. This sort of thing has happened in the past on PC. Physical media are no guarantee against corporations stealing their goods back after sale. Offline DRM or no DRM are. “To ensure the best possible player experience, this game will not run until the latest updates have been installed… Downloading… Error: Resource not found. Please try again later.”
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@creature@lemmy.world 2026-07-21 04:50
Games when you buy them even if they are in disc format are dubiously licensed and not DRM-free anyway so like I dont get it - do gamers just want the illusion of owning games ?
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@BlameTheAntifa@lemmy.world 2026-07-21 04:53
To be fair, I won’t buy anything for a locked down platform with a separate subscription for basic internet functionality.
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@Weirdfish@lemmy.world 2026-07-21 01:24
While I’m all for physical media, I get why things are going this way. I have a large library of PS3 games I can just fire up and enjoy, offline. With the PS4 and PS5, I can’t think of a single game that works from the purchased disc. Everything requires huge download patches, to the point the disc is nothing more than a license to the game. I think the bigger issue is game longevity and ownership. If I buy a game, I expect to be able to play it, today, next year, ten years from now. I have N64 games I still play on an original system from the 90s, they are mine. Games, especially single player games, that require online connections to servers that can be taken away at any time is absolute bullshit. I’ve spent a crazy amount of money on Rocksmith 2014 over the years, and when they pull the servers I’ll lose access to hundreds of DLC songs. I think that any game you buy, physical or download, should be yours, and if they need server access to run, the company should be required to provide the server source code, or a free patch, that allows you to continue to play the game, when they take the servers offline.