DVDs and Blu-Rays may seem like a relic from a bygone era now that streaming services have taken over, but for many movie lovers, they are a staple part of any collection. The time for collecting may soon be over, however, as Disney has decided to discontinue DVD and Blu-Ray releases of its titles in Australia.
As per News.com.au, The Walt Disney Company has announced it is pulling out of the physical media market in Australia. The final film to be released on DVD and Blu-Ray will be Marvel Studios’ Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, which is scheduled to release on August 9. After this, any new Disney titles will only be available to watch on digital or streaming platforms – which includes all Pixar, Star Wars, Marvel and 20th Century Studios movies and TV series.
It’s believed the reason for this is low sales numbers for physical media and an uptick in online home entertainment, such as Disney+.
For those who haven’t bought a DVD or Blu-Ray in years, this marks no change in your regular programming. But for those who enjoy collecting their favourite movies and TV series on physical discs, this is the end of an era.
As someone who worked in the media department at JB Hi-Fi for a number of years, I can vouch for the fact that plenty of people still buy DVDs.
They offer a way to watch a title when there is no other option. With the unpredictable nature of studios and their streaming platforms, it’s all too frequent to have a movie available to watch one day, only for it to disappear the next. A physical disc counteracts this, allowing viewers to watch a movie whenever they please, whether they have internet access or not. It’s also a huge part of the routine for older generations, who aren’t interested in signing up for streaming.
Post-August, the option for Aussies to get their Disney titles will become limited to SVOD services, or through imports of physical media from other countries – but that gets into its own set of issues with region locking etc.
The moral of the story here is to buy your favourite Disney DVDs and Blu-Rays while you can. After they’re sold out in stores, they won’t be restocked, so if you’ve always wanted that limited edition Star Wars boxset, now is the time to get it.
JB Hi-Fi is currently running a $10 Walt Disney movie sale, so consider this a good time to pick up some of your favourite movies while they’re cheap.
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