Earlier this year reports dropped that Ubisoft was asking players to get comfortable not owning the games they paid for. With move towards subscription-based gaming – including what Ubisoft was referring to with their comments – the culture around gaming has been adopting new practices. Luckily, Nintendo says they haven’t given up on physical games yet. In the Question and Answer summary of their Fiscal Results Briefing, Nintendo said that their objective is “not to simply increase the share of digital sales, but to maximize overall game software sales, including sales of physical software.”
A refusal to sideline physical games can be very comforting, especially when so many streaming services are games or shows that aren’t available anywhere else. This recent epidemic of permanently disappearing media isn’t confined to one area of entertainment. Instead, it is a side effect of the streaming-centric model that has dominated entertainment recently. This new phenomenon of disappearing media has created a discourse around physical media as a solution. Taking that into account, Nintendo’s commitment to physical copies as well as digital is an exciting relief.
Physical copies of games have value beyond just protecting media. They confirm ownership, as opposed to Ubisoft’s subscription services which only offer games for a limited time. Physical copies and cartridges can also accumulate financial and sentimental value over time as collectibles. Hopefully, Nintendo continues this trend, especially with the upcoming Switch 2, possibly being released next year, 2025.
While the streaming model has its problems, there are some benefits to it, such as in Nintendo’s own Nintendo Switch Online. The platform works like other video game streaming services but shines in its ability to give classic games a new platform. Just recently The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past was added to the shop, allowing players to experience the SNES classic for themselves.