Video Games won't be on discs much longer. Do gamers care?

July 23, 2026 - 16:46

Grand Theft Auto 6 is shaping up to be one of the biggest entertainment launches of all time, but there is a catch for anyone hoping to slide a disc into their console. The game will not be sold on a physical disc. This decision by Rockstar Games is a major signal that the industry is finally ready to move past the plastic circle.

For years, the shift to digital downloads has been creeping up on players. Consoles like the Xbox Series S do not even have a disc drive. Now, with a blockbuster like GTA 6 going all-digital, the question is whether most gamers actually care. For many, the answer is no. Downloading a game is instant. You do not have to drive to a store, wait in line, or swap discs when you want to play something else. The convenience is hard to argue against.

But the move is a gut punch for used game stores. Shops that rely on trade-ins and the resale market are watching their business model fade away. When a game is only a digital license, you cannot sell it to a friend or trade it in for store credit. The entire secondhand market, which has been a lifeline for budget-conscious players for decades, is being phased out. For collectors and preservationists, the loss is also real. A digital game can be pulled from a store or become unplayable if servers shut down. A disc, scratched or not, is yours to keep.

The industry is betting that most players will not miss the trip to the store. GTA 6 will be the ultimate test of that bet.