[autoexec]

> Physical media is getting kind of dated as seen by many devices no longer even including optical drives.

the lack of optical drives in consoles isn't because the tech is 'dated' it's because forcing users to online-only and preventing players from owning physical media they can let their friends borrow or sell used makes more money for gaming companies and gives them greater opportunity to collect your data and push ads at you. It gives them greater control to censor, patch, and remove content too.

[JZerf]

All of the reasons you gave for removing optical drives are true for consoles but I'd also like to point out that even desktop and laptop manufacturers have been removing optical drives as well. The reasons you gave largely do not apply to computer manufacturers yet they have still been removing them. Optical drives aren't needed as much as they used to due to software distribution over the Internet so many computer manufacturers have been removing optical drives to reduce computer prices, make computers smaller, etc...

[autoexec]

It's very much the same problem with the PC. They do make laptops smaller and lighter, and removing them makes them cheaper (DVD/bluray players include the cost of licensing fees), but online distribution of software often provides similar benefits to Apple and Microsoft. They get to push more ads and gain more control when you have to use their marketplaces to get software.

Optical drives in computers can also be a nightmare for consumers. Try playing 4k bluray content on your PC for example. It wouldn't be unreasonable for people to complain to Dell that they bought a computer with an optical drive but can't play the media they own without jumping through hoops due to DRM like this: https://www.pcworld.com/article/606652/4k-blu-ray-support-is... so Dell saves themselves a lot of problems by removing those drives.

[Ken_At_EM]

It sure does. Greater control, lower costs! What’s the downside?