Streaming seemed unbeatable. But more and more young people are returning to physical media. What initially sounds like nostalgia is, for many in Gen Z, a conscious decision against subscription stress, advertising, and digital uncertainty.
What about the seemingly dead industry? A report from the Los Angeles Times shows: Especially Generation Z is rediscovering DVDs and Blu-rays – and for very practical reasons.
Since the peak of disc sales in the mid-2000s, the market has dramatically shrunk. However, the free fall seems to have slowed somewhat. According to industry data cited in the article, the decline is significantly slowing down. It’s not a comeback in the classical sense – but a decline of the decline.
Why is Gen Z partially turning its back on streaming? What seems like another retro trend at first glance is often a clear cost-benefit analysis. Streaming services are becoming more expensive, content regularly disappears from catalogues, and advertising is creeping in even with paid subscriptions. And as if that weren’t enough, new providers continue to emerge, each with their own exclusive content.
As the Times article shows, many young buyers say:
- They want to own movies permanently.
- They want to be independent from platforms.
- They value bonus material, BTS, and extras.
Especially in times of rising subscription prices, a purchased or rented Blu-ray or DVD seems like a better investment.
The DVD is not dead
A brief historical overview: To understand why this trend is particularly noteworthy, it’s worth looking back.
With the rise of VHS in the late 1970s, the home entertainment industry began giving consumers a whole new control over what they could watch, when, and how (statssignificant).
Later, in the early 90s, the DVD followed as a more compact and higher-quality storage and playback technology. The DVD had its heyday in the early 2000s. The best-selling DVD of all time, “Finding Nemo,” was released in 2003 and sold approximately 38,800,000 copies. Since the mid-2000s, however, sales have steadily declined. According to CNBC, DVD sales in the USA dropped by 86% between 2006 and 2019 (via BBC).
The biggest change came in 2020. When millions of people were forced into quarantine in their homes due to COVID-19 from mid-March onward, streaming services like Netflix rapidly became the primary sources of entertainment (Michigan Journal of Economics)
The previous decline of DVDs and the Blu-ray disc, which had further improved playback quality in the meantime, continued. But what appeared to be a victory for streaming from 2020 onwards is now being questioned, at least partially, by Gen Z.
Gen Z takes a step back in time
What exactly bothers young viewers about streaming and attracts them to DVDs? The LA Times quotes several industry observers explaining that the mood towards streaming has changed. Initially, the streaming offerings were seen as a cheap, convenient revolution of the classic home cinema sector.
Today, many users complain to the Times about rising prices, fragmented content, and advertising in paid subscriptions. This development is comparable to the cassette and vinyl trend in the music sector.
And lending DVDs and Blu-rays is experiencing a revival. MyMMO editor Christoph Waldboth recently reminded us of what characterized video rental stores – and what crucial advantage they still have over streaming services like Netflix or Amazon Prime.
What does the community say about this trend? On Reddit, this development is clearly reflected. In the GenZ subreddit, the Times article was shared. There, users report why they are buying discs again or wishing for video rental stores:
- Spideyfan77: “I own about 100 Blu-rays. I love physical media: no buffering, no ads, multiple languages, and plenty of extras.”
- AirEmergency3702: “Yeah man, I just got my 150th DVD and honestly, it’s much better than streaming and probably cheaper in the long run.”
- Ezte007: “I’ve always loved DVDs, and as a kid, I dreamed of owning a film collection. Now I’m buying 4K Blu-rays and my collection is steadily growing.”
- ironside719: “I also belong to this trend. I own almost 40 UHD Blu-rays and go for physical media whenever I can.”
- jollyGarbage: “Can we please bring back video rental stores? It would be fantastic if we were the generation that brings them back.”
While Gen Z is collecting Blu-rays and DVDs again and consciously focusing on physical media, another case shows how turbulent the market has been recently. Elsewhere, old DVD stocks were being sold off in 2024: In the USA, people looted decommissioned Redbox machines and resold the discs
