GameStop CEO Ryan Cohen calls for a requirement on video game consoles to include physical disc drives. This comes as no surprise seeing how the major retailer is a leading vendor and closely connected to the dilemma.
The debate between physical and digital media with respect to the industry has been ongoing since the era of the Xbox 360/PS3/Wii, but consumers should be allowed to choose.
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Digital games have become more affordable and easier to access without a trip to the store. This has always been the case for the PC, which modern builds eschew disc drives thereby eliminating box sales.
Now on consoles, players have continued to assemble vast digital libraries, especially thanks to games-on-demand services like PlayStation Plus and Xbox Game Pass. Newer, more economical versions of systems such as the Xbox Series S, Nintendo Switch Lite, and the PlayStation 5 Digital are releasing without disc drives.
In a tweet responding to an article from Bloomberg that discussed the forced shift by the EU to make Apple give up on Lightning ports in iPhones, GameStop CEO Ryan Cohen stated that disc drives on consoles should be mandatory. This is due to the fact that many console owners have already invested money into piles of physical video games. Cohen also praised the change in the iPhone port as a “win for consumers”, stating that he would throw his hat in for similar legislation against manufacturers that ship digital-only consoles.
With physical copies of modern titles often requiring additional downloads past what’s included on the disc, gamers feel as if they are really just buying a digital copy with additional clutter and steps from a physical purchase.
As the most recent CEO of the world’s largest video game retailer, Cohen clearly has a vested interest in ensuring the company’s longevity in a more digital age.