Allow me to begin this article by saying that I love physical video games. I own hundreds across every generation going back to the Mega Drive (Genesis) era and whilst they continue to be made, there is a likelihood that my collection of new and old games will grow.

However, over the last two months I have come to realise how many vile – often predatory – practices are undertaken by many of the companies still selling physical games. Thus, I have significantly stepped back from purchasing physical.

Gamers, by virtue of our hobby are enthusiastic consumers. We are known to be avid, sometimes fanatical, collectors of our favourite medium. Now, many enterprising physical distributors are tapped into how overzealous we are mentally about building physical libraries and are willing to offer us products – no matter how bare bones, unethical, or downright audacious – to develop a sense of FOMO. The same FOMO that until recently I was crippled by.

Physical games have become the vinyl equivalent of the video game industry – limited (although not strictly the case as we’ll discuss) quantity items that predatorily entice collectors to pay an overinflated price. Publishers will convince you they’re there for your physical libraries and preservation with taglines like #ForeverPhysical, when in reality they’re cashing in hard on your niche.

There are die-hard physical gamers out there and that’s understandable. I know many that will die on the hill, for as long or as short as that hill exists. I understand the benefits, I’m a recovering physical addict. But for those of you, I hope this article provides a moment of reflection of how much of a raw deal you may be getting. We need to admit that by buying many physical games, we’re being taken for a mug.

The purpose of this article is to shine a spotlight on the predatory practices of the companies that tell you they’re on your ‘side’ of physical / digital. If you read this article as the monologue of a recovering addict, there is likely some truth there.

So, these bad practices. What exactly are they…

‘Limited’ Run Games and other limited prints

I have been there and know many gamers like myself in real life and online, who simply cannot handle the FOMO of Limited Run Games (LRG) and similar outlets. Owning one of a small number of anything carries perceived value to collectors of any medium.

But, how many LRG are actually limited? Although that data is unavailable, you can hedge a low-odds stake that listings for LRG products appear on other retailers like (the excellent) Video Games Plus several months after their limited order window closes. I understand that this will be overstocks and LRG will have to produce a viable print quota, but one has to ask how LRG and other can advertise these as so limited?

What is worse though, is that many of LRG productions do end up available via other distributors later. LRG sold all of the Turok games individually for ~$35 USD + shipping. Now, it’s possible to obtain the full Turok Trilogy Bundle for $39.99 USD via retailers as mainstream as Amazon.

Another example, Lollipop Chainsaw RePOP which LRG sold in 2024. Then earlier this year Clear River Games picked up the publishing rights and are redistributing via multiple retailers.

The double-dip: buy digital, then buy physical

Another nasty trope that has emerged is games that are released digitally only, which are then followed up by physical releases.  Though by no means alone, Alan Wake 2 is one of the notorious tales. Remedy repeatedly insisted that the game would be digital only, only to be followed up by a physical release within 12 months.

I know a handful of people who couldn’t wait to play Alan Wake 2 when it came out digitally, but then followed up with a physical pickup.

There is no shying away from we’re simply being lied to. These developers and publishers know passionate physical gamers will part with money twice and it’s a practice that I hope more wise up to.

Codes on a disc and Game Key-Cards

What’s actually on that disc / cartridge you put into your console is now often questionable with many discs now simply being a key to download your lovely new physical game. Now, as more ways to play digitally-owned games develop which we will discuss, simply buying a game physically means you’re getting a rawer deal.

Recent release, DOOM: The Dark Ages’ Xbox Series X disc contained a mere 328mb of data with reports of the PlayStation 5 disc release being even less:

No matter how much of a preservationist you may be, there’s no denying that this disc is rendered useless without an internet connection for installation. If Xbox or PlayStation’s servers are turned off in a decade, you’ve as much chance to play that physical copy as a digital one.

Nintendo’s Game Key-Cards for Switch 2 have been highly controversial too, offering nothing more than the means to download a game from the Switch store. Nintendo have commented previously that Game Key-Cards are here to stay.

‘Collections’

Though not limited to this example, this week Square Enix announced the Life is Strange Collection. This ‘collection’ includes all of the games in the series to-date, with the caveat that only two of the games are physically in the box – on the same disc for that matter – with the remaining three titles being download codes. 5 games, 1 disc.

The three games that are codes in this box have never been released on disc for PlayStation 5. Since this is the full ‘collection’, it’s absurd and audacious that Square didn’t issue physical renditions of these tiles.

The removal of disc trays and future proofing your collection

When talking about forwards compatibility, aside from Nintendo, we rarely hear a whisper about how our physical games will move forward with us.

The reality is that consoles are moving to be digital-only. The Xbox Series S and PlayStation 5 Digital consoles have lived throughout the whole of this console generation discless. Select newer Xbox Series X models are offered without a disc tray.

Xbox have clearly been working for a long time to try and move their playerbase to be digital first. Be it playing games via Game Pass, or via Play Anywhere, the cloud or even on the upcoming ROG Xbox Ally. Xbox have confirmed that they’re working on full backwards compatibility next-gen, but I’d be surprised if there’s a disc tray to slot your games in to. Especially given most of their games including South of Midnight, Avowed and Hellblade 2 all skipped physical releases.

Though I believe the biggest sign that discs are on the way out is the PlayStation 5 Pro’s omission of a disc tray. Many, myself included, expected that physical media on PlayStation would continue at least in to the PlayStation 6, now I’m far less sure.

Xbox physicals are useless for Play Anywhere, cloud and handheld devices

Echoes of the DRM backlash from the Xbox One’s infamous reveal still linger around the industry. Admittedly, the publisher has relaxed restrictions heavily over time.

Play Anywhere, Cloud gaming – which works well in 2025 – and later this year, the ROG Xbox Ally devices will allow you to play your games you bought once anywhere. But! That’s only if you purchased the game digitally. By buying a physical game, you’re buying something that Xbox’s DRM believes you don’t own and isn’t portable.

Though I’m aware remote play is an option, the physical purchase of an Xbox game loses many of the pro-consumer benefits afforded to digital buyers – physical fans who are already an alienated subset of fans.

Disc-gusted

I could cover a lot more points here such as disgustingly overpriced collectors editions; multiple re-releases of titles like The Last of Us which has been re-packaged more times than Coca Cola and many more topics.

On the physical / digital divide, I know people are entrenched in their camp and I’ve no aspiration to change your view. What I hope this piece will do is encourage you to question the values, integrity and practices of distributors before popping yet another box on your limited shelf space.

Are you in the physical or digital camp? Do you just buy the game at the cheapest price? What are some of the most vile practices you’ve seen in the selling of physical games?

Let us know in the comments below and stick with Gamer Social Club for all your gaming news.