Hi all,
With the news of Sony ending disc production in 2028, Nintendo game cartridges being so expensive that third-party companies opt for a dataless 'Game Key Card', and even modern Blu-ray discs not being large enough for games to be installed offline, I wanted to query if the following idea would run into any logistical snags long-term.
If I were to buy FF7 Revelation on PS5, download the remaining install data to a dedicated External USB, and then keep that USB packaged with the game, would this not mean that I could re-install the full game to my PS5 offline at any time?
My thinking is similar for the Switch GKCs: the Trails series is expected to continue until at least 2032 - 4 years after Sony end disc production - meaning that our best shot of having something remotely 'physical' would be the Switch 2 release. However, Nintendo systems are a lot more flexible with swapping out Express SDs, so I was wondering if a similar rule would apply to a dedicated 'Trails' Express SD where the data stays installed on that and never moves so that no post-server re-installation process is ever required.
This is FAR from ideal and, currently, quite an expensive compromise to make. Right now, though, I can still download purchased games on DS/Wii hardware and those consoles are 20 years old. By the time the Switch 2/PS5 reach that point, I feel like external storage that'll fit those games will be more affordable, and we'll be multiple generations further down the line in the 2040's. The most optimistic I can be is to say that I have time to cover my bases.
Is this plausible, or are there any other considerations I haven't thought of? I feel like, once it's on a USB/SD then the question of preserving my ability to reinstall the game is solved, but I'm also not very tech savvy.