Blu-ray Collectors Should Be Worried About This Physical Media Trend. Here’s Why

It’s been a largely positive year for the resurgence of physical media. Vinyl continues to be the torchbearer, with sales growing for nearly 20 consecutive years (every year since 2006), and there has been renewed interest in CDs and cassette tapes, too.

Unfortunately, the same can’t be said for Blu-rays. While sales have spiked in patches — for example, they went up 15 percent at the end of 2023, largely thanks to enthusiasts wanting to see Oppenheimer at home in the best picture quality — they’ve mostly been in decline.

The bad news continued this week, as it was revealed that one of the last major manufacturers of physical Blu-ray players is ceasing their production.

LG says sayonara

That’s right. According to multiple reports, LG is stopping production on its last two Blu-ray players, the LG UBK80 and LG UBK90. Both were introduced in 2018 and, at the time of writing, both are listed as “discontinued” on the company’s website.

As the higher-end option of the two, the LG UBK90 feels like the more significant loss for home theater enthusiasts; it supports Dolby Vision, a high dynamic range (HDR) format, which many affordable Blu-ray players (including the LG UBK80) and gaming consoles that still have disc drive, lack support for.

The news feels like a more significant blow for physical media at large, as LG’s Blu-ray players support other formats, including UHD 4K discs (which are four times that of Blu-ray), 3D Blu-rays, DVDs and CDs.

LG

The Blu-ray appeal

The appeal of Blu-rays is obvious. They provide the best possible visual and audio experience, with 4K Ultra HD Blu-rays delivering a superior 4K picture (with higher video bitrates) and more immersive sound than most streaming services.

The other reasons to still buy Blu-rays are consistent with physical media. Each disc has bonus features and a digital copy (so you can watch anywhere, in case you don’t have the disc). You don’t have to worry about your favorite movie “leaving” a streaming service. And there’s the pride of ownership.

A glimmer of hope

Despite the decline in sales, the interest in Blu-rays is far from gone.

One recent example is when Sony announced the PlayStation 5 Pro earlier this fall. It revealed that the console wouldn’t have a built-in disc drive and thus wouldn’t natively be able to play Blu-rays. The result was that customers flocked to buy its detachable disc drive accessory, the PS5 Disc Drive, which quickly sold out everywhere.

Turns out, people at least want the option to play physical format games and watch Blu-rays at home.

©fotomowo – stock.adobe.com

So, what’s left?

LG isn’t the first “big” electronics manufacturer to exit the Blu-ray scene. Samsung and Oppo both ceased production several years ago. As for what’s left, it’s looking ominous. The only two manufacturers of new Blu-ray players are Panasonic and Sony, but neither has released a new model since 2018.

It should be noted that while LG has confirmed that it’s ceasing production of its Blu-ray players, it’s leaving some hope. In a statement to FlatpanelsHD, LG Korea claims it could get back in the optical disc player market if “demand picks up.”

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