It’s hard to escape the excitement for Grand Theft Auto VI. This long-awaited sequel, with its revolutionary graphics and vast open world, is set to have almost everything — except a physical disc.
The video game industry is shifting away from physical media. PlayStation announced physical disc production for new games will stop in 2028, making digital games mandatory. While some view this as technological progression, moving away from physical media poses significant concerns for the preservation and consumer access of video games.
Some may defend the decision to solely publish digital games as a push towards efficiency. Initially, digital games seem more accessible than physical games, but there is a concern tied to games only being available through a digital purchase.
“We’re buying the right to have access to (games), if and when … these companies merge or go under … there’s going to be a moment where we won’t have access to those games,” said Byron Fong, radio-television-film assistant professor. “It’s just inevitable.”
Unlike physical discs that can be resold, shared or collected, access to digital games is entirely dependent on its distributor, meaning that games could become completely inaccessible. This may seem like an unlikely hypothetical, but it has already happened.
In 2014, The Playable Teaser was created as a teaser for the release of Silent Hills, which was intended to be the ninth installment of the Silent Hill franchise. Despite its promotional purpose, it was a complete game experience that achieved widespread popularity. However, when the release of Silent Hills was canceled, P.T. was taken down, making it only playable on consoles that already had it downloaded.
“It’s an incredible game. It’s one of the best games of the last 20 years, and you can’t download it,” Fong said.
The digitization of games presents a major issue for game preservation. When the continued accessibility of games is controlled entirely by corporate interests, there is no guarantee they will be properly preserved, endangering this modern art form.
“There’s an archival problem, which is that we could literally lose history,” Fong said. “We could just lose certain games forever.”
The unprecedented corporate control presented by the complete digitization of games also creates broader concerns for consumer rights.
“This is part of a larger global trend toward leasing,” said Sarah Abraham, associate computer science professor. “I think when companies are looking at the ability to just license to you, that seems like a great option from their perspective.”
In some cases, it’s more profitable for corporations to charge a continuous fee rather than a one-time purchase. In addition to games, the ability to use devices itself may also become licensed technology. As games increasingly require more advanced systems, some devices need to connect with higher-level hardware in order to stream games.
“(Companies are saying), ‘You can’t afford to buy new hardware, so you need to pay us to stream monthly, but if for any reason you break your payments, your library goes away, and you have to pay us to get it back,’” Abraham said.
The risk of losing ownership of their games and hardware has made gamers understandably concerned about corporate overreach. Fundamentally, people appreciate being able to own something that cannot be simply taken away.
“Especially when it’s something like a video game, which is inherently digital, having some sort of physical tactile aspect of it makes it feel more real on some level,” Fong said. “It makes it feel more tangible.”
Recognizing the risks posed by digitalization, there are actions that students can take to address these concerns. First, consumers can support independent developers through direct-to-consumer options where indie developers sell games straight to the consumer.
Just last week, it was announced that an independent developer is working to rebuild P.T. as a PC game. Projects like these show how even independent digital games can combat the larger issue of centralized control.
“There’s a shift in parts of the gaming industry … away from giving a lot of control to just a handful of companies … game makers are also realizing that consumers want more substantial guarantee of ownership,” said Ben Bays, radio-television-film associate professor.
On a broader scale, many of these independent developers, with enough support, can become long-term brands that reshape the industry.
Students have a vital role to play in this effort against the centralized digitization of games, not only as consumers but also as potential creators themselves. Passionate students should not hesitate to try developing their own projects. Clubs like the Electronic Game Developers Society offer support to students who want to contribute to an industry fueled by independent creativity. Video games have always challenged the status quo. At this critical crossroads, it is essential for the video game community to do this once more.
Stark is a chemical engineering sophomore from Orange County, California.