Best Buy is saying goodbye to movie-watching with physical discs. The consumer electronics retailer plans to phase out its DVD and Blu-ray sales by early 2024 — with physical movies set to be sold in-stores and online as they are today through the holidays.

Best Buy is saying goodbye to movie-watching with physical discs.

The consumer electronics retailer plans to phase out its DVD and Blu-ray sales by early 2024 — with physical movies set to be sold in-stores and online as they are today through the holidays, Best Buy confirmed to The Associated Press Friday. Video games will not be impacted.

“To state the obvious, the way we watch movies and TV shows is much different today than it was decades ago,” the company said in an emailed statement. “Making this change gives us more space and opportunity to bring customers new and innovative tech for them to explore, discover and enjoy.”

  • Drusas@kbin.social
    131·
    9 months ago

    Meanwhile, I’ve been increasingly buying physical media again because prices to buy or rent even old movies often costs the same or more than the physical version does.

  • pete_the_cat@lemmy.worldEnglish
    9·
    9 months ago

    I can’t remember the last time I bought physical media, probably like 7 or 8 years ago. I got a 65" 4K TV and decided to buy a PS4 Pro, which I thought could play Blu-Rays, it couldn’t so I bought a player. Back then each Blu-Ray was like $30-50. I had kept them for years and went to sell them finally a few months ago. They’re like $10-15 new on Amazon now.

    • olympicyes@lemmy.worldEnglish
      4·
      9 months ago

      PS4 Pro can play blu-ray and DVD but not 4K UHD Blu-ray nor CD. That said, I have a PS4 Pro and the disk never worked for me for movies. I didn’t even buy disc games because I assumed it wouldn’t work. I think the physical disc drives were really poor quality in the entire PS4 generation. I’ve got a PS3 slim and a PS5 we use for movies now. Good point about disc prices. Even UHD is cheap and often includes HD Blu-ray and a digital code.

        • olympicyes@lemmy.worldEnglish
          2·
          9 months ago

          It didn’t help that the Xbox refresh did include that ability. I was annoyed it didn’t play CDs. I really don’t want extra devices for a function I don’t use all the time.

          • pete_the_cat@lemmy.worldEnglish
            2·
            8 months ago

            Yeah, buying the external player and the discs was largely a waste of money because I watched them like once and then pirated copies of UHD movies with HDR became easy to find.

  • MisterD
    6·
    9 months ago

    In 10years, if you want TRULY own a copy of any movie, you’ll have to go on the high seas

  • andrewta@lemmy.world
    82·
    9 months ago

    I understand why they are doing it. It just sucks that they are. Target and Walmart will probably follow. Which leaves me with Amazon to buy discs.

    • Omega@lemmy.world
      8·
      9 months ago

      Walmart and Target still sell CDs. I think Best Buy has become a place to only go to buy expensive electronics where physical media has become more of spontaneous/impulsive purchases. I wouldn’t be surprised if they stuck around for a long time there.

    • olympicyes@lemmy.worldEnglish
      2·
      9 months ago

      We will probably have to import discs from regions without reliable internet at some point. Which standard are you betting on? Region B or C?

  • Eeyore_Syndrome@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
    61·
    9 months ago

    If you have a 7.1 Atmos setup. There’s still not many services actually streaming that audio.

    To be fair some discs have the 7.1 audio on Blu-ray but not on the 4KUHD (Pans’ Labyrinth is one offender).

    I am gonna miss Best Buys sales on physical media I suppose (only time I bought discs).

    Having dependence increase on Amazon…do not want…

  • stephfinitely@lemmy.world
    72·
    9 months ago

    Funny give with how streaming has been changing a lot of my coworks and myself have been buying more and physical media.