If Cartridges And Disc Based Games Make a Comeback Would You Buy?

[scraph4ppy]

This is, perhaps, a tad different from what the OP thought, but I think there is a market for "virtual console"esque small packaged retro games being sold at store counters, at least in the case of the Switch. The key things you would need to get across are the price (quite low) and size (quite small.) If you've ever walked by the registers at a S&C or Hot Topic you'll notice loads of three, four and five dollar gizmos tempting people to buy them, I do not see why a physical SMW or LttP Switch cart in a little mini-case would be less tempting. We are at a place where media is small and cheap enough to do it. Probably wouldn't work for PS4 and XB1 though, with their full sized discs.

[cirno]

I personally don't really believe in the idea of physical media 100% dying out, mainly because it just isn't something that's 100% obsoleted by the existence of digital games. For one thing, it's the basic fact that physical products still sell just as well as digital ones, and there's little evidence that digital editions of games or otherwise overshadow the physical versions. I think the question of "why hasn't it happened yet" isn't asked quite enough? Especially since most of the sources insiting on a digital future are the people profiting off of such an idea.

I think it's also been demonstrably proven that physical-editions will survive sheerly because people simply enjoy their media that way. Mediums like books, music and movies are extremely easy to use general media devices yet still have physical editions produced because people will always buy them. I honestly don't think the "digital future" will, at the very least, happen in any of our lifetimes because people will cling to fancy physical editions for decades upon decades.  I think it says a lot that there's multiple companies that make a living entirely of just making physical versions of existing videogame products.

There's also the fact that it'd be horribly, catastrophically bad for such a thing to happen as it'd essentially mean companies having free reign to do whatever the hell they want to consumers, but I digress.

[ferraroso]

Living in Japan, I don't see physical media disapearing anytime soon...

Even though Japanese laws forbid stores of having video game rental sections, movie DVDs and music CDs rental shops as a whole (believe it or not) are as strong as ever.
Besides, shops that sell used stuff (not just video games, but also books, movies, music, electronics and clothes) like Book Off, Hard Off and Geo are among the largest retailer chains in the country.
Japanese (maybe the companies even more than the consumers, as can be attested by Nintendo's conservative approach to online services) are not very prone to change and, believe it or not, there still is a large chunk of Japanese teenagers and young adults who don't even know what Netflix is (as a university teacher, I can confirm that).

Most of the entertainment market in Japan is based on physical media and, as soon as Japan keeps being relevant in the video game industry, I don't see physical media being discontinued in the near future.

[kamikazekeeg]

Living in Japan, I don't see physical media disapearing anytime soon...

Even though Japanese laws forbid stores of having video game rental sections, movie DVDs and music CDs rental shops as a whole (believe it or not) are as strong as ever.
Besides, shops that sell used stuff (not just video games, but also books, movies, music, electronics and clothes) like Book Off, Hard Off and Geo are among the largest retailer chains in the country.
Japanese (maybe the companies even more than the consumers, as can be attested by Nintendo's conservative approach to online services) are not very prone to change and, believe it or not, there still is a large chunk of Japanese teenagers and young adults who don't even know what Netflix is (as a university teacher, I can confirm that).

Most of the entertainment market in Japan is based on physical media and, as soon as Japan keeps being relevant in the video game industry, I don't see physical media being discontinued in the near future.

I want to go to Japan literally for the resale shops lol I've seen videos of people going to them and finding games and toys for very cheap, all neatly organized and cleaned is amazing.

[oldgamerz]

Living in Japan, I don't see physical media disapearing anytime soon...

Even though Japanese laws forbid stores of having video game rental sections, movie DVDs and music CDs rental shops as a whole (believe it or not) are as strong as ever.
Besides, shops that sell used stuff (not just video games, but also books, movies, music, electronics and clothes) like Book Off, Hard Off and Geo are among the largest retailer chains in the country.
Japanese (maybe the companies even more than the consumers, as can be attested by Nintendo's conservative approach to online services) are not very prone to change and, believe it or not, there still is a large chunk of Japanese teenagers and young adults who don't even know what Netflix is (as a university teacher, I can confirm that).

Most of the entertainment market in Japan is based on physical media and, as soon as Japan keeps being relevant in the video game industry, I don't see physical media being discontinued in the near future.

I want to go to Japan literally for the resale shops lol I've seen videos of people going to them and finding games and toys for very cheap, all neatly organized and cleaned is amazing.

I live in an area in the US where quite a few people are still selling retro video games for vary reasonable for the most part, and at least 2 locations in my home town. I am vary lucky. Does anyone know of any indoor flea markets, near them? sometimes these are hidden and you may just drive past them.

[kamikazekeeg]

Living in Japan, I don't see physical media disapearing anytime soon...

Even though Japanese laws forbid stores of having video game rental sections, movie DVDs and music CDs rental shops as a whole (believe it or not) are as strong as ever.
Besides, shops that sell used stuff (not just video games, but also books, movies, music, electronics and clothes) like Book Off, Hard Off and Geo are among the largest retailer chains in the country.
Japanese (maybe the companies even more than the consumers, as can be attested by Nintendo's conservative approach to online services) are not very prone to change and, believe it or not, there still is a large chunk of Japanese teenagers and young adults who don't even know what Netflix is (as a university teacher, I can confirm that).

Most of the entertainment market in Japan is based on physical media and, as soon as Japan keeps being relevant in the video game industry, I don't see physical media being discontinued in the near future.

I want to go to Japan literally for the resale shops lol I've seen videos of people going to them and finding games and toys for very cheap, all neatly organized and cleaned is amazing.

I live in an area in the US where quite a few people are still selling retro video games for vary reasonable for the most part, and at least 2 locations in my home town. I am vary lucky. Does anyone know of any indoor flea markets, near them? sometimes these are hidden and you may just drive past them.

I live next to a Flea Market.  I don't go often, but even though you can find good stuff, Japan's resale stores are kinda nuts and have real good prices and quality.  It's very different compared to what we see in the US.

[hoshichiri]

I live next to a Flea Market.  I don't go often, but even though you can find good stuff, Japan's resale stores are kinda nuts and have real good prices and quality.  It's very different compared to what we see in the US.

Heck yeah- I've not had the fortune to go to Japan yet, but even just buying from Japanese sellers online, it's very clear the standards for used goods are leagues higher than in the US. I was actually just talking about this with family over Christmas- that I've recently started picking things up from Amazon Japan becuase, if you can find someone who ships to the US, the prices are often a lot better than local sources. They asked me how I can know what I'm buying when I don't really read Japanese. I told them I just use Google Translate to get the gist of things, becuase the standards over there are so high I don't really have to worry about quality too much. Example: I bought Xi Little for wonderswan, which the seller marked as grade D with a 'damaged stained box' (according to google translate). I didn't care too much on the box, I just wanted the game. What I got was a nearly pristine copy, save for a slight crease along a back corner and a slightly sunfaded cover. I've seen similar quality graded Bs & Cs from US sellers.

Long story short- if you can muddle through your kana, buying direct from Japan is a good idea!