No, we do not ship games on physical media.
No, we do not ship games on physical media.
Simple triple-layer Blu-ray, 100GB capacity, double-layer 50/66 format. It won’t fit in one unit—bring two or three. That’s the end of it. Millions are being produced; we need to explore ways to encourage more people to stop using RGB lighting, avoid those annoying lens flare cases, and start purchasing genuine PC hardware instead. Imagine a better Blu-ray drive. How much would you risk betting on selling quality offline games? Could earn more than letting Steam take 30% of profits and generate massive jobs worldwide? Let’s rethink the system—negotiate across global chains, sell select early copies through companies that actually sell Blu-rays, let them suffer temporarily so drives keep flowing. The message is clear: everyone should have access to games wherever they are. You could sell them everywhere—kiosks, supermarkets, gas stations, small shops, big chains, local stores. Order online or in-store, via magazine or phone call. Deliver right to your door before Amazon existed. It makes no sense. It only increases energy use, cuts jobs, creates monopolies, and removes fun. Have some adventure! Find a copy! Destroy Steam for the sake of a healthier global economy. Stop relying on Amazon Video, Netflix, and just be a nerd with style. When was the last time you visited Steam with an alpha or beta and said: ‘Hey, this looks good? Want to invest in the rest?’ With a few million?
The most recent physical purchase I made for my PC was in 2019. It came in a box containing a code that lets you install it... The main issue is that games often arrive damaged, so you’ll probably still need to download them yourself.
Development time outside a few major AAA games has also decreased significantly... The methods for creating games have become more straightforward, and they often don’t require payment to access them.
I should confess studios haven't mentioned this before. If digital costs dropped, physical sales would likely disappear. That's not a good financial move. Game pricing was discussed recently in a Corridor Crew video. They've remained unchanged for a long time. About twenty years ago, I'd spend €50 on a new GameCube title. After adjusting for inflation, I should now pay around €80 for my games, matching the ~€60-70 I've spent on AAA games over the years.
But would you consider that? You used to be able to rent those games and often could purchase them used for a fraction of the cost within a few years. I don’t remember paying more than around $40 for anything. Back then, I never paid unless it was just a few dollars. I stopped because of other issues, but it’s simple to locate genuine discounts—or even cheaper if you wait until the yearly Steam/Epic promotions.
That was back when I was just starting out and trying to get in on the ground floor. You can find fresh games from the 40s now if you know where to look. I've come across titles that were new for under six months, though I had to wait for winter sales. I picked a few that originally cost around $60 last Christmas but ended up for about $25 on the EPIC store. That would have been a steal, especially with Xbox Game Pass active right then.
Only the surface shows the full picture. Games used to include plenty of unlockables, but now most of that is handled through DLC. Even fighting games no longer feature every character. You have to pay if you want to face all possible opponents. Some titles have hundreds of DLC additions, and many players don’t think a game is finished until they own everything.
Creating tangible versions requires expenses, while copying files digitally is free, but shipping adds to the price. That’s why independent developers usually avoid releasing physical copies.
I don’t usually invest in AAA titles because the $60 cost bothers me. Most of what I play falls under $30 or was available at discounts when I first bought them. I’ve mentioned DLC to bring prices near normal, but I think it’s become less effective lately.