Physical media makes a comeback: gen z rebels against streaming's grip

Twenty years ago, buying a movie on DVD or Blu-ray felt as commonplace as picking up a book. Now, Generation Z views it as a defiant act against the perceived tyranny of streamingservices.

Physical media resists streaming's dominance

While physical media sales overall dipped 9% in 2025, a significant shift is occurring within the format. 4K Ultra HD discs saw a 12% increase in sales, a figure unseen in years. This resurgence isn't just nostalgia; it's a conscious rejection of subscription fatigue, price hikes, and content fragmentation.

Vidiots, a movie rental chain, saw physical rentals surge from 22,000 in 2023 to 50,000 in 2025. Barnes & Noble reports a 15% increase in DVD and Blu-ray sales across all platforms, including books and vinyl. “People want to own things and create libraries,” explains Bill Castle, a director at Barnes & Noble. “They’re tired of being at the mercy of streaming services’ financial decisions.”

The allure of physical media extends beyond ownership. 4K Ultra HD offers superior picture and sound quality compared to most streaming options due to its higher bitrate and less compression. It also frequently includes bonus content unavailable online. However, the landscape isn’t uniform. Spain lags behind, with major studios like Disney notably absent in releasing their catalog in 4K Ultra HD, and even omitting Spanish dubbing from European releases.

The situation is even more peculiar in Japan, where the demise of Windows 10 has fueled a renewed interest in Blu-ray players for PCs. Paramount’s reluctance to release series like Star Trek in 4K, opting for standard Blu-ray, seems counterintuitive, especially given the demand for high-quality physical copies.

Warner Bros. Discovery stands out as an exception, releasing all of its HBO series in 4K Ultra HD with top-tier picture and sound. While not a full-scale return, physical media’s decline has stalled. The 4K Blu-ray market is experiencing growth, suggesting a persistent demand for tangible ownership. The increasing cost of streaming bundles, combined with the constant removal of content, may prove decisive. The consumer is finally saying enough.