Physical games are DISAPPEARING! Here's why.

I stream retro games on Twitch: / jankedjesus
Edited by Denis Parlov: www.denisparlov.com
FOOTAGE USED
• Tony Hawk's Pro Skater...
CHAPTERS:
0:00 Intro
1:28 Subscription Services
3:02 Very Few Exclusives
5:12 Dying Retail Stores
6:47 Unfinished Games
8:21 Outro
9:05 Meme
Janked Jesus
Jank Jesus

[@Fortefyre]

It's true. It's been a subtle downfall too, first it was the demo kiosks, than it was the manuals, now it's the games.

[@jankedjesus]

Yeah it's crazy to look back at even the 360/PS3 era and seeing the phasing out of game manuals happening then. Now it's more of a surprise when there IS something there.

[@Fortefyre]

@@jankedjesus Home Improvement: Power Tool Pursuit was onto something and they didn't even realize it lmao.

[@blue_ex3852]

Physical games for life, but indeed it’s harder everyday to find physical copies. I usually go to Walmart nowadays for my physical games

[@jankedjesus]

Glad to hear your Walmart still gets you by. I've got some spots, but Best Buy is just sad anymore 😂

[@JohnDoe-dw3hj]

Really? Why? Still all over the place here

[@thaMANSTA]

I will never buy a game that says DOWNLOAD REQUIRED.

[@jankedjesus]

Yeah those releases are head-scratchers. Not to mention eyesores to the box art.

[@user-do2ev2hr7h]

So you're not going to be gaming any longer.

[@jankedjesus]

@@user-do2ev2hr7h I mean, even if they stopped producing new full-release physical games tomorrow, there's still nearly half a century of games to catch up on

[@thaMANSTA]

@@user-do2ev2hr7h Saul Goodman, my backlog is thicc.

[@user-do2ev2hr7h]

@@jankedjesus I guess if you just want to go retro you'll probably be ok. New games, not so much.

[@ShadowTheLight]

i mostly buy physical because its so much cheaper, digital deals are cool but used games are usually so inexpensive its great.

[@ShadowTheLight]

never paid more than $35 for a PS5 game

[@jankedjesus]

Yeah, you can definitely scoop up some good clearance deals on physical games now, especially with many retailers wanting to dedicate less and less space to them.

[@ShadowTheLight]

@@jankedjesus here's hoping they dont go completely though, they are very necessary imo

[@jankedjesus]

@@ShadowTheLight As long as game collectors like us are still around, I don't think they'll ever vanish entirely

[@OperationParlov]

Alan Wake II was a massive success despite being a digital-only release. I’m sure other AAA publishers are going to follow suit because of this. It wouldn’t surprise me if the next generation of consoles is digital-only (maybe with optional disc drive attachments).

[@jankedjesus]

Alan Wake II was definitely a shocker; weird to see such a high-profile release not get any sort of retail presence. But yep, that's the future we're heading towards.

[@charlescaulkins8306]

You're kidding right? They didn't make ANY profit out of Alan Wake II. They sold, but not enough to recoup their losses. It's a flop, plain and simple.

[@OperationParlov]

@@charlescaulkins8306 You're right, I probably shouldn't have used the term, "massive success" in my comment as it is inaccurate. However, it did sell 1.3 million copies, which is nothing to sneeze at, and is Remedy's fastest selling game ever. I think the original point of my comment still stands: a game can sell units, despite being digital-only, and it wouldn't surprise me if more publishers go this route in the future. I was unaware that they hadn't recouped their losses, so thank you for bringing that to my attention. 🙏

[@jankedjesus]

@@charlescaulkins8306 It was Remedy's fastest-selling game in the company's history. They could still recoup the budget with continued sales strength, but if they don't, I would argue that's a budget problem and not a sales problem.

[@charlescaulkins8306]

@@OperationParlov Yeah, and Final Fantasy XVI sold 3 million units worldwide in one week. Square Enix still thinks that's a loss as it came after Marvel's Avengers (a broken Anthem clone that has since been offline) and Forspoken (a game that sold so badly Luminous studio shut down). So my point also still stands: it doesn't matter how much money you make or the units you sell if it's still undercut by failure.

[@danytalksmusic]

I'm not shocked you bought a physical copy of Balan, I'm shocked you bought it at all 😂

[@jankedjesus]

I did not pay for it, it was sent to me 🤣

[@SaltyEike]

​@@jankedjesus reasonable pass.

[@servomst3k]

Great analysis man, keep up the fine work 👍

[@jankedjesus]

Thank you for watching and for the kind words!

[@Yaered]

I also like having physical games for my consoles, but my biggest caveatt... they are usually very lazy with manuals or not even putting one in. Do I read those manuals before playing? not really... but it's about half the reason to get a physical for me. The case, depending on how well the artwork is, would be another decent chunk. very rarely does the actual disc contain the full game without needing to be patched. I do prefer having physicals that are for portable devices though... simply due to the fact it saves me from purchasing a high capacity sd card.

[@jankedjesus]

Manuals not being standard is definitely a factor I could've touched on in the video, and definitely a valid reason to not care as much anymore. For me personally, its definitely more about the artwork and having something to put on the shelf.

[@HalianTheProtogen]

I miss chonky manuals full of lore ;-;

[@MickSaladin]

simple fact is sony ms and nintendo want second hand physical market gone and have done for decades and now finally have a way to do it via the internet, i think its an easy bet that both next gen xbox on ps will not have discs drives or if they do they will be separate detachable addons for the 5-6 games that will actually even come out on discs by then lol

[@jankedjesus]

100% it benefits them if they can squash the second-hand games market. If their digital storefronts and/or subscriptions are the only way to feasibly get games, it means way more profit for them.

[@HalianTheProtogen]

Remember when Microsoft tried to kill used games on the Xbone and everyone immediately revolted? Protogen Farm remembers.

[@jankedjesus]

@@HalianTheProtogen Yeah that Xbox One reveal was ROUGH. Still remember it pretty vividly all these years later.

[@joewhitlow5799]

There are several examples of games like mortal Kombat 11 where the Xbox version has two discs and the PS5 version has the DLC on a code.

[@jankedjesus]

Yeah, you're right; the Xbox edition comes with a second data disc. Kind of annoying they didn't provide that with the PS5 version, especially since it's using UHD Blu Ray, which can hold up to 100 gigs triple layer.

[@joewhitlow5799]

@@jankedjesus It's the same deal with cyberpunk ultimate edition. All the DLC is on a code for PS5 but the Xbox version has three discs

[@pauljacob99]

Some PS5 games are already very rare. And these are games that would have been common on previous generations of consoles.

[@jankedjesus]

Absolutely! Titles that would've been big sellers in previous gens are getting pretty small print runs these days; it's wild out there.

[@JohnDoe-dw3hj]

Where are you guys thats it rare? All the games are still coming out physically

[@jankedjesus]

@@JohnDoe-dw3hj It depends on the kinds of games you're into; I've been trying to get a copy of Guilty Gear Strive for a while now, but can't find it anywhere locally, and Amazon doesn't even have it unless you order used from a third party.

[@JohnDoe-dw3hj]

@@jankedjesus I guess so

[@antiquecardboard]

Dirt 5 physical is another example. The PS5 version goes for $50-$70 on Ebay years after release. Dirt 3 on PS3 is under $10.

[@vegetarey]

Physical media is dying because people aren't buying it anymore. It's easier, faster to buy a digital copy of a game, movie or album. Also consoles are becoming pointless, taking Robocop Rogue City as an example, i purchased the game on the steam sale, for like $18 bucks, it performs and look much better on my pc than consoles. I didn't have to waste time going to the retail store or wait for the delivery, and i'm having a better experience. I know high end pcs are expensive, but still a mid range pc outperforms consoles and digital media is more convenient and usually cheaper.

[@jankedjesus]

Consoles vs. PCs is probably a whole other topic of discussion entirely, but yeah, it definitely plays a role for sure. I definitely think its safe to say that PC gamers have embraced the all-digital future for quite a while now, and it is hard to deny the temptation of Steam sales. Yeah, physical games are more of a hassle, going to the store, or waiting for an online order delivery, but for me it's really nice to get a tangible product for that hard-earned money. Plus as a streamer with an aging PC, it's helpful to keep the game on separate hardware from the streaming machine.

[@TheWonkster]

And what would you consider to be the minimum pricepoint for a mid-range PC?

[@vegetarey]

@@TheWonkster a mid-range pc for gaming, probably like $1200 - $1500 but even an entry level gpu beats current consoles (not by much, but offers slightly higher native res, improved framerate and high graphic settings), like the RTX 4060 or RX 7600, a PC with one of those gpus, should cost like $800 or $850

[@theshadowman8801]

I only have 3 words: I am pirate

[@HalianTheProtogen]

Piracy is preservation.

[@arioca]

The PS4 version of Mortal Kombat 11 Ultimate comes with with all the DLC on a separate disc.

[@jankedjesus]

Fascinating. That's extra disappointing then that they cheaped out on the PS5 release.

[@HalianTheProtogen]

1:13 Let's not forget the >no games portable. :D

[@jankedjesus]

PSP or Vita? Or Both? Hahaha.... I did love my PSP though.

[@HalianTheProtogen]

​@@jankedjesus Vita, because it was codenamed Next Generation Portable. My cousin had a PSP, and I was envious of him.

[@jcage1022]

I love physical gaming, but also is there any real point to it nowadays? A lot of people might think ahead and say "yes" without considering the issues, like the fact that every time you pop a physical game into your modern console (since last gen), you can't immediately play the game, and 100% do still have to sit through a digital download, which often forces any released updates to be installed right after. What is the point of physical media if you're still forced to endure downloads bc corporations don't want you to have the full file size of a game available from the disk? What's the point if you're gonna get the digital update you don't want anyways? Physical gaming is dying because the corporations want it to and no one is really fighting hard enough to prevent it. Yeah, buying a physical copy may seem like enough, because you feel like you own it, until the day your wifi goes out and you have no way to actually install the data that couldn't be copied from the disk.

[@jankedjesus]

Some solid points you bring up. I wish it was mandatory for publishers to at least release the full game on the disc.

[@darkestnuke]

The vast majority of games are complete on disc and require no downloads of any kind.

[@markbeach8996]

Physical games are about to be hella expensive once they disappear

[@forest_gamingredux8156]

I'm not having these issues when it comes to physical PS5 games although my collection is small is due to me focusing more on PS4 games that I missed out on. I show this on my channel if you are curious. I am able to find games for the system in many locations and retail stores so I do not think this is entirely true. It depends on the individual and how much they want physical media. I personally prefer physical over digital.

[@SPac316]

😢 ....

[@jankedjesus]

We gotta hold on to physical media as long as we can!

[@connorc-f6785]

How much is the Xbox (the new one) £?

[@lambrettaking472]

Just like to say in the UK I don't have any problems getting Xbox physical games also used physical games from CEX any game I want I can get with no problems .I don't have a Xbox game pass subscription because I don't think it's worth it for me.

[@captainsquiggs]

Maybe if people stop buying digital. I mean, physical copies of games are just better all around anyway. I try not to buy digital if I can help it.

[@jankedjesus]

I'm with ya, but the average person has decided they prefer the convenience of the digital world. Which is why it's more important than ever to buy physical when we can; vote with our wallets.

[@supergeoff]

Hey Janke

[@jankedjesus]

Thanks for watching Geoff!

[@supergeoff]

@@jankedjesus No problem man

[@aroccoification]

And I'm buying all of them. My closet looks like a GameStop and my children will be rich mwhahahah

[@jankedjesus]

I say buy as much as you want as long as you enjoy it. There are definitely safer and more predictable investments than games though 🤣

[@aroccoification]

@@jankedjesus idk I bought spiderman web of shadows for $10 now it's selling for over $100 Plus I'm certain you've never been with a woman who was traditionally attractive in any way based on your face and sense of style so I wouldn't take your advice

[@jankedjesus]

​@@aroccoification Oh wow, $90, what a return! Clearly I was wrong, and I see you are making some high-level investment moves, apologies.

[@aroccoification]

@@jankedjesus lol obviously I'm not going to get rich on videogames but they're fun to collect I'm sure the overweight, smelly and nuerodivergent women you date give great investment advice

[@aroccoification]

​@@jankedjesuslol it's just for fun dude I'm sure the huge and smelly nuerodivergent women you date have great investment advice