Capcom is one of the biggest companies in the gaming world, a position it’s pretty much held consistently for several decades now. As such, you’d think it would know what it’s talking about when it comes to the industry at large, and it seems as though physical games are still very much within the developer’s wheelhouse.
According to a Q&A session, as noted in the 45th Ordinary General Meeting of Shareholders, Capcom is still keen on providing physical products to its customers. A question on page three asks whether the increase of digital sales could change the way the company deals with physical games. The answer from Capcom reads:
Given that a significant number of end users demand physical games we currently do not expect to eliminate physical products.
Do note the word “currently” in that response. However, it’s nice that those who still want the option of having disc versions of Resident Evil, Street Fighter, and the like are being catered to, and it’s quite surprising to see that demand for physical products is still “significant.”
You can’t have “stacks” of digital downloads
The increase in digital sales should not be a shock to anyone. The advent of faster internet speeds and the convenience of on-demand content means a lot of gamers prefer the ease of not having to go out and buy a disc. In an actual shop. How archaic!
We are definitely on the way to an entirely digital society, just because there’s very little effort in pressing through a few options on-screen and downloading what you want within minutes. In that regard, the idea of procuring physical games from bricks and mortar places may seem antiquated to some.
I can’t say where I stand on the matter. I’m somewhat old-school, or at least I thought I was until I subscribed to Xbox Game Pass. With books, I like an even mixture of the two: shelves of actual paperback and hardbacks, but also the benefit of e-books neatly stored on a digital device. I feel the same way about gaming.
Whether Capcom will eventually move away from physical video games in the future remains to be seen. The company has been around for longer than many of us have been alive, and if the Mega Man and Monster Hunter creator says users want physical games, who are we to argue? Other than the actual users themselves who can make that decision with our wallets, digital or otherwise.
