It’s quite crazy to think about it, but PlayStation is pretty much the last incarnation of major console OEMs still physically storing a game’s complete data on a disc. That is ever since when there were CDs or CD-ROMs, and then DVDs and Blu-rays—UHD, 4K Blu-rays-good name for them, really-Sony continued the legacy while others routed toward digital downloads or installs of some kind. Interest in this issue sprouted from recent tweets: praising PlayStation for adherence to physical media, while others ponder the sustainability of the physical game.
The original tweet noted that PlayStation remains the sole console maker that still ships games physically with all the data on the disc; thus, for the bulk of games, they can be installed and played without going online. Good for collectors, archivists, and everyone who loathes mandatory day-one patching. Of course, controversies arose, with several spicy, Costanza-esque replies.
A user with a handle @61_rain labeled PlayStation “the last bastion of gamers who archive physical game discs,” while another, @jaylew333, mumbled about how this system could very well work with Sony’s anticipated handheld device, which of course is not going to have a disc drive. There are still the Nintendo faithful; @thompson_buddy mentioned Nintendo still uses cartridges for first-party games, even though in some cases third-party publishers opt for the cheaper “key card” option that requires downloads.
The twist thickened when @Viiksimursu1 dug down and found that Nintendo cartridges don’t require internal storage installs like PlayStation discs do. Meanwhile, @alberwesker1232 stated that “actually, most PS5 games can be played from disc with very few exceptions.” Thus, it began descending into a flame war with one side accusing OP of lying while another side came forth to the defense of PlayStation.
@ANTIQUELEGEND brightened souls by saying he hopes Sony hangs on to physical media just long enough to witness their transition into the next format. In quite a cynical tone, @XDJGUNDAMX said that since Sony makes good money out of Blu-ray licensing, it is obvious they will push the darn discs so hard.
The discursively sprinkled commercial speculations on Switch 2 cartridge limitations included whether 64GB will be enough for next-gen title. An endless discussion of “Is it the card size or cost?” took place among @realTailss and @Scoty3412, only to be interrupted by @jamesteden’s clarion call that much more Xbox titles are on disc than people think—it just depends on the publisher.
Okay, so, where does all this leave us? For now, PlayStation remains the must-have system for gamers who want the entire, offline-friendly experience to come straight from disc. Theoretically, with all this meteoric rise of digital sales and without any disc drives in next-gen hardware so heavily rumored, this very well could be the last generation in which physical media will really matter. Good or bad, depending on who asks; some will shed tears for physical game collections, and some will just not care.
Whatever happens, PlayStation’s legacy always should have one massive descriptive chapter about its fidelity to physical discs while so many gamers remain staunchly supportive of games being theirs in their own hands. In a cold, hard sense, this debate will never die out. At least for now, there is still life in that disc drive.
