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by JustNaz~
It seems like we are approaching a time where digital media is becoming the preferred form of media consumption, at least amongst movie fans with Netflix and Disney+ becoming a common sight in most households and although it wasn’t that long ago when we were renting out physical DVDs from our local video shop, there’s no denying that having a service like Netflix makes the whole process so much easier; but is all digital really that good?
As someone who has a collection of some valuable PS2 games, it is a nerve wrecking thought that one scratch and I’d have to dish out £50+ for a replacement disc for some games in the collection. Last year when I got my copy of Kuon for the PS2 I held my breath every time I put the disc into the console just in case a scratch magically appeared out of nowhere and ruined the disc and now that I’ve completed the game, it is kept away safety where no one can even breathe on it. Even getting that game was pure luck as coming across a copy is so rare, CEX £595 (hence the price) and that goes for many other physical games too. Of course you can order online but that’s always a risk especially when you’re spending a pretty penny.
Now of course even a digital version of a latest released game can also set you back about £60+ however you don’t have to worry about damaging or misplacing them. Also, having a digital library means that I have access to all my digital purchases I can play whenever I feel which is great for when I am over at my mum’s house for a stay. So, for conveniences sake, digital is definitely the winner here with a massive library of games to choose from that you can instantly download and play, whereas you may not always find a physical copy of a game you want right away.
Although not a major issue with the internet access we have now, there’s always a chance that you can also lose access to your online content temporarily if your internet is down so that those movies and games you decided to purchase to watch and play on a rainy Sunday afternoon are no longer accessible and for this reason I do like to have a physical copies of some of my favourite movies and games available at home.
Just last year, PlayStation announced that customers would be losing access to Discovery channel shows that they had purchased due to their licensing agreement with the content provider with the following message from Playstations own website- “As of 31 December 2023, due to our content licensing arrangements with content providers, you will no longer be able to watch any of your previously purchased Discovery content and the content will be removed from your video library.” and although this decision was later reversed it really does bring up the question, do we really own digital purchases if they are so easily taken away if the provider so chooses?
For many, physical media is of course, preservation. I’m sure we’ve all thrown away old games, toys and Pokémon cards that we no longer wanted only to stumble upon those very items nowadays and shake our head in grief as we realise how much they are worth. I’m sure you may even find those very items in the National Videogame Museum in Sheffield. If we were to turn completely digital in a few years, these museums would probably look a whole lot different or they may not even exist since we’ll surely be able to access everything right from our very homes.
Despite Digital media seemingly starting to overtake the media landscape, physical is still here to stay for a long time with shops like HMV and CEX still around. In July of 2024 the boss of HMV even said that the sale of movies, particularly Blu-ray and 4K are doing well. Arrow video releases are particularly popular amongst horror fans and you can even find new editions of older movies being released even today.
In the video game world, Alan Wake 2 is finally getting a physical release less than a year after it released as a digital only game and of course let’s not forget the popularity of collector’s editions of games being demanded with every new big release. (I’m personally still hoping for a physical collector’s edition of Silent Hill 2 Remake, please and thank you Konami!)
Physical vs Digital; which one is better? Well, that’s a matter of personal preference I guess, personally, I’ve always preferred having a physical copy of something to hold in my hands. I still remember the excitement of reading through the manuals you got with PS2 games before you finally had the chance to play the game itself and its always nice to see the case sitting on your shelf along with all your other favourite games. However as I do get older I definitely see and appreciate the conveniences of having my collection in digital form over physical so my mind might change as the gaming industry continues to grow. Or maybe by then I won’t even have a choice of physical which would absolutely suck…
