Yesterday, we told you that Gamestop was certain that discs would be around for a very, very long time. “Disc based games will be around forever,” CEO Paul Raines said. I’m inclined to agree – for now. I do think that discs will be around for a long time indeed, though digital distribution is becoming more prevalent with each passing day.
Not everyone agrees. Former Sony Honcho, now with Microsoft, Phil Harrison says that Gamestop’s sentiment is “a delusional, self-serving load of tosh”.
Michael Pachter, however, believes Raines is correct.
“Music CD sales are down 80 per cent from their peak, but the salient point is that 18 years after Napster, Kazaa and Grokster almost destroyed physical media, the record labels are STILL MAKING CDs,” he told MCV.
“DVD sales are down around 50 per cent from the peak, but again, the figure is misleading, as the peak reflected the debut of virtually every film ever made on DVD. The masses bought Blu-ray players and bought catalogue titles in 2010, and catalogue has faded far more rapidly than new release DVD sales. Again, the salient point is that the movie studios are still making DVDs.
“I think the console death will take decades. That means that GameStop has at least another 20 years to sell DVDs. I think that the decline in physical game sales hurts GameStop the least, as Amazon and Best Buy customers are far more inclined to buy online than GameStop customers, due to the latter’s predominant position in the used games business.”
That’s a very different attitude to the one he fostered in 2009, where he predicted that there’d be no PlayStation 4, or Xbox 360 successor.
“I think we’ve seen the last generation of consoles,” Pachter said then. “Third party publishers are not going to support a PS4 or Xbox 720,” he said. “The content is not going to change in any meaningful ways because the publishers can’t afford it.”
Of course, with the new consoles comparatively outselling the last generation, we know that Pachter’s 2009 prognostication was false. Will this one ring true?
Last Updated: October 1, 2015
HairyEwok
October 1, 2015 at 11:38
Pachter needs to tidy up those games behind him.
Grand Admiral Chief
October 1, 2015 at 11:39
Let me provide a simple example to provide some perception.
Some people still use fax machines…
Alien Emperor Trevor
October 1, 2015 at 11:51
*perspective
Grand Admiral Chief
October 1, 2015 at 12:03
That as well
Alien Emperor Trevor
October 1, 2015 at 12:11
I hear you’re going to be space ninjaing with us?
Grand Admiral Chief
October 1, 2015 at 12:28
Indeed, flippen thing is finally up to date.
But not tonight, but definitely tomorrow night
Alien Emperor Trevor
October 1, 2015 at 12:39
You’ll have another update later tonight or tomorrow, they’re releasing a new frame & some other stuff.
Grand Admiral Chief
October 1, 2015 at 13:06
Moer, how big?
Alien Emperor Trevor
October 1, 2015 at 13:11
Dunno, probably only a couple of 100mbs – they’re never that much to dl.
Grand Admiral Chief
October 1, 2015 at 13:21
Awesome, looking forward to it
VampyreSquirrel
October 1, 2015 at 13:58
Ember P farming this weekend?
Alien Emperor Trevor
October 1, 2015 at 14:07
Indeed, I want the weapons, for mastery if nothing else.
VampyreSquirrel
October 1, 2015 at 14:10
cool! We have until Tuesday in any event 😛
Pieter Kruger
October 1, 2015 at 12:00
Pachter should be completely ignored just like many politicians……
CaptainNemo42
October 1, 2015 at 12:07
So, if this idiot’s track record is anything to go by, disc based games are doomed?
Kromas untamed
October 1, 2015 at 12:22
Stiffy drives are still being produced and sold. But as a mass market product it is dead.
Same with LP’s. All that is left of them is the second hand market and the odd band that releases it just because. Even cars nowadays don’t come equipped with a cd radio but rather has input ports for sd cards or flashdrives.
HairyEwok
October 1, 2015 at 14:15
Stiffy drives are still being produced because they make awesome music instruments :P.
Kromas untamed
October 1, 2015 at 14:26
Stiffies also make amazing IT themed coasters unlike CDs that scratch after the first cup.
Chris A. Faux
October 1, 2015 at 12:31
Can we collectively stop posting what pachter is saying? He is out of touch with what the fuck reality is.
DragonSpirit009
October 1, 2015 at 12:58
I still prefer the hard copy above digital. Most likely because I don’t have a console or decent PC to play digitally bought games XD
Cyberats
October 2, 2015 at 00:30
We need to go back to the loading time of a Cartridge, BAM, it’s in, power is on.
eSata or USB3 distribution media, play right off it, no installation.