Zelnick says physical games will always exist, just barely, and GTA 6 is already proving his point

Strauss Zelnick went on The Game Business podcast and basically said physical games aren't dying, they're just shrinking into a corner. He compared it to vinyl. Most people stream their music, but there's still a vinyl market and it's actually growing. Same deal for games, according to him. There'll "always be some physical business," but it's going to be a "very small part" of the pie.

He's not wrong about the numbers. Take-Two is 98% digital right now. And Sony's already killing off PlayStation discs in 2028, so the direction is pretty clear.

What's funny is GTA 6 is basically the poster child for this. The game isn't coming on a disc at all. You get a code in a box if you buy it in a store. That's the physical version. A code. In a box. Meanwhile the $400 collector's edition comes with a bunch of physical goodies but not the actual game, and they're pressing the score on CD and vinyl.

There will always be some physical business, but it will be a very small part of the business.

So the game itself is digital-only, but the soundtrack gets a vinyl release. Make that make sense. I get it from a business standpoint, but it still feels weird for a release this massive to have zero disc option.

Launch is November 19 on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S. No PC version announced, though there's chatter about a PC edition and online multiplayer landing in 2027.

Does the code-in-a-box thing bother you at all, or are you fully digital at this point anyway?

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Source: GameSpot · Curated content.