Over the past few years, physical media has been on the decline. Digital files take up only as much space as the device that stores them, and streaming services offer access to more content for less money. There is no need to swap discs, find a place to store them, or spend money on individual products; instead, they can be bundled into a monthly payment.

But despite all these advantages, I don't buy it. I will have to rip the discs from my cold, dead hands.

As of this writing, the next generation of Xbox and PlayStation consoles have been released, including two digital-only models that remove the traditional disc drive. Needless to say, the Xbox Series S and PS5 Digital Edition are not consoles I would consider purchasing.

There are many reasons I try to avoid digital-only media. Whether it be books, games, movies, or music, I prefer to physically own them rather than obtain them via download. Digital content is convenient, but it's not the same as physically holding a book, game, or album in your hands or on your bookshelf.

The best parallel would be looking at pictures of dogs on your phone. While the pictures are wonderful in their own right, they are far from the same experience as being able to actually pet a real animal.

It is also much harder to lose a physical object of sufficient size. Compared to digital files, which are easily lost in any number of folders and storage devices, finding a physical game or movie is like discovering the Grand Canyon while flying over Arizona. (Assuming your kid or roommate didn't put the disk back in the wrong case. Again.)

There is another, more prudent reason to own physical media. When you own a game on disc, you actually own a copy for yourself. Various industry rights holders may try to argue that the content on the disc is not actually yours, but they cannot do anything about it. Digital media, on the other hand, can be taken from you at any time if the publisher sees fit. Because one day someone at Konami woke up and decided they would no longer let you download it.

Why did PT disappear? Konami may have their reasons, but the fact is that no one can play an authorized copy of that game unless they already have a copy on their PS4 console; if PT had been released on disc, this problem would not have occurred. Konami might have stopped making discs, of course, but at least the game would have been available through the aftermarket.

Even in such cases, however, physical media is not always a winning solution, as I learned when I purchased the Nintendo DS version of "BioShock: The Collection". The cartridge I purchased (new and unopened) can only store 16 GB of data, which means that inserting it into the console will result in an additional 31 GB download. Rather than bundling two or three cartridges, the games take up the majority of the storage on my Switch, but I still have to have the cartridges to play them, which is "the worst possible situation".

Digital media also has distribution issues. Certain content is only available from certain publisher storefronts, and that content, once purchased, is locked to certain devices; Kindle e-books can only be played on Kindle devices or the official Kindle app; iTunes movies can only be played on Apple-approved devices (i.e., not Android). iTunes movies can only be played on Apple-approved devices (i.e., not Android). Platform lock-in is to be expected when it comes to video games - after all, the same thing happens with discs.

Xbox Series X games are available from the Microsoft Store, PS5 games from the PlayStation Store, and Switch games from the Nintendo eShop. There is no such problem with physical media. This is because there are dozens of retailers, both online and in the real world, that stock games. Sure, many of them also sell download codes for certain games, but that's just taking the extra step and buying them from the publisher.

You can't get the best deals (or buy used games at a discount) on the digital storefront. Nor do they receive the same consumer protections as with physical copies. If a new "Spider-Man: Miles Morales" is not to your liking or has something wrong with it, you can bring it to GameStop for a refund. If you've ever tried to get a refund at the Nintendo eShop, you can confirm that this is not the case with digital games. And publishers love to drag their feet when legislators try to change the rules.

On top of that, game file sizes are growing exponentially and console storage is not keeping up. Modern Warfare has 175 GB on PS4, with the base install taking up 107 GB of that. However, there is only 667 GB of space available now on the PS5. This equates to 3.81 Modern Warfare.

In purely digital form, this is going to be a nightmare to maintain; it's not so bad if you ignore the DLC files, but since the base game is an "all or nothing" situation, you're basically at the mercy of the developer. Plus, every time you delete a game to make room for another, you run the risk of having to download and install everything from scratch in the future.

If you have an Internet connection, it's not so bad - until, of course, the publisher decides to stop distributing the game. The disc consumes a lot of digital storage space because of the mandatory installation, but at least if you have a backup copy on hand, you can resume the process if necessary. Furthermore, the process is not at the mercy of your local Internet provider.

In short, digital media not only binds you to the whims of the publisher, it is more expensive and often more restrictive in what you can and cannot do. Digital rights management is such a nuisance, but it is clear that not all DRM systems are created equal. Some are good, some are bad, and some make gamers want to riot in the streets.

I can certainly understand the appeal of digital media in the right context. I am not the kind of hipster who carries around a binder full of CDs and DVDs. Sure, I have digital music on my phone, and I watch TV shows and movies to stave off boredom on long trips. (Just don't ask me where I got these files. If you do, I won't have to change the subject so abruptly.)

If I like something, I buy a copy so I can access it whenever I want. It will be the coldest day in hell when people will give up digital media and opt for digital-only options.