It’s time to embrace physical media again

It’s finally time to admit that streaming apps and digital distribution messed up the most In the creative media industry, physical media may have been the right choice all along.

Ok, that’s a little dramatic. B.it is not accurate Wrong.

To be fair, not all streaming apps are bad. Streaming services and digital storefronts give us easy access to our favorite shows, bands, and video games from virtually any device we own. And it offers a legitimate way to support legacy media without succumbing to greedy scalpers and dubious piracy sites. But what started out as a way to “cut the cord” and stick it to cable companies and record labels is in its infancy. New corporate overlords who don’t respect their customers, the media they distribute, or the people who make them.

Problems with streaming and digital media

can claim annoying like office leave Netflix or is it the first mannequin Film not available digitally Mannequin 2: Moving Ready to use It’s just part of the reality of the new digital landscape.

But that non-persistence is starting to look more like a bug than a feature. What we learned last week warner bros discovery Inadvertently excluding TV shows from the HBO Max app If you paid $14.99/month in hopes that HBO Max Originals content would actually be available on HBO Max, I’m sorry. in the meantime, Digital video games are periodically removed from digital shelves and cannot be purchased or re-downloaded. Multiplayer mode (or the entire game) renders due to the inevitable server shutdown.Unplayable after that you Bought and downloaded the game.

Not only music, movies and games, but even e-books and comics are at risk. Streaming and fully digital platform.just look Backlash against Amazon’s recent Comixology overhaulmaking it almost impossible for certain users to purchase new comics, making some comics and manga unreadable Unnecessary layout changes.

aAll streaming apps, regardless of media, cancel access to the free library when you unsubscribe. Not to mention sudden service outages or being offline forever Streaming business model notorious for ruining artists And creators who distribute their works through these apps.

these issues and more make more and more Customers find it difficult to enjoy their purchasesmaking media storage virtually impossible.

you know what won’t Do you have those issues? physical media.

Physical media is not immune to problems. streaming is realmake media A more accessible and seemingly “unlimited” supply (as long as it remains Available)physical media can only exist in Limited quantity, create situation RIPSubject to exploitation by companies and resellers. In addition, physical media, like all physical substances, degrade, It may be lost, damaged or stolen. However, when it comes to ownership, customer agency, and media storage, physical media outperforms digital and streaming in almost every way.

Streaming is problematic, but is physical media dead?

We acknowledge that purchasing a hard copy may not be appropriate for all persons or all purchasers. Also, don’t be fooled by those who think physical media is obsolete or useless.ost media not yet full physical releaseMajor theatrical films get Blu-ray releases. Full seasons of TV shows are still sold in large multi-disc boxes. Finding them can be difficult.

Video games are trickier. While many new “physical” games technically require an online connection, even for offline single-player games, many new games are completely playable on disc (cartridge in the case of the Nintendo Switch). increase. buying old games vintage consoleand rarer releases can be prohibitively expensive, but companies such as Limited Run Games, Super Rare Games, and Strictly Limited Games make physical copies of indie titles that don’t typically get box releases. and sometimes even reprints of old game runs. They drop in price much faster than digital games, and can sometimes see big price drops just days or weeks after release (except for Nintendo games).

CDs continue to be a great way to collect music and listen to it in high quality. “Old” formats like vinyl Cassette tapes are enjoying a resurgence in popularity thanks to independent record labels, distributors and the collector market.These retro throwbacks may have started as a hipster currency of credit, but they’re becoming a more reliable way to access music than streaming. Additionally, buying physical music directly from artists and labels is a better way to help them financially. streaming.

how is price?

Another concern with physical media is cost. Buying All New Media Doesn’t Cost More Than Your Monthly Cost Streaming bill?

Sure, especially when you buy a lot of new stuff to watch, play with, and listen to, it’s not necessarily a bad thing. Personally, I find myself more involved with the media I buy than streaming or renting. Streaming tends to overwhelm the work of art, like disposable “content” that is crushed to dopamine by our brains. It’s a worthwhile option if it has its place in and you don’t necessarily care what you’re watching, playing, or reading, and don’t mind if it suddenly disappears. But even if you see no difference between owning something and streaming it, the fact remains that physical media will always be more reliable than digital.

Digital content comes and goes, servers go offline, Content lost when user transitions to another appbut your living room movie shelf is going nowhere. As long as you have the right equipmentyou can enjoy forever, No need to sign up for new services, download apps, or fuss with wireless connections.