(August 1, 2023) In what would appear to be a milestone event, Disney has opted to discontinue sales of DVD and Blu-ray discs in the land down under. Yes, Australian home theater fans, the last Disney-owned disc release in your country will be Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol 3.
This is certainly an "end of an era" moment that further accelerates the industry's migration toward streaming and digital downloads, forcing both Australian and New Zealand movie collectors to source Disney's physical titles from foreign retailers. The move includes catalog titles from Disney's array of studios, including 20th Century Fox and Marvel.
According to news.au.com, Disney's decision was driven by "dwindling physical sales and the increasing popularity of online home entertainment, such as the company’s in-house screening platform Disney+." While that comes as no surprise, speculation concerning physical media's longevity has remained somewhat optimistic. Most collectors have assumed that discs will continue to ship for the forseeable future. This announcement, however, certainly doesn't do much to bolster confidence. And it might signal the beginning of the end for other studios as they assess how best to distribute media.
hopefully it won't last. then again, could this be a catalyst that a lossless streaming option is on the horizon?
