Keeping It on the Download

It was recently announced that Studio Ghibli would be exclusively streaming their entire library of films on HBO Max come Spring 2020 in The US. This quashed long-time rumours that their movies would never be on a digital service. It also got me thinking about how HBO Max is another streaming platform slated to launch alongside Disney+ and others. And I’m starting to get concerned. Because, in the end, is digital really the best option for content?

Let’s get some misnomers out of the way: I have nothing against digital conceptually. I remember the days of physical media. I remember how bulky and inconvenient, not to mention frustrating, it was to insert a VHS tape or floppy disk into a VCR or computer, set it to the appropriate output and pray that it actually worked. It was fickle, sensitive and often led to headaches. This doesn’t even factor in said media breaking or becoming corrupted.

Digital removes that hassle, and thank God! No more worrying about a piece of plastic breaking, now you can stream online. No more worrying about shelling out money on physical media, now you can stream online. And no more worrying about having to upgrade your media players every few years, now you can-you guessed it-stream online. This is all great!

So why am I concerned? For starters, digital streaming’s heavily dependent on the streamer. It’s not enough to have the option to stream, you also need a good-quality device. This means shelling out money on something state-of-the-art and praying that it never crashes or breaks. Because if it does…well, you’re screwed.

This is especially frustrating when your item’s downloaded to a specific source. This could be a computer, a drive, or an account. If you can navigate the source, you’re fine. But if you can’t, you’re in trouble. And since some downloads are source-sensitive, it’s even more of a hassle.

That’s another problem: a lack of true portability. Say what you will about physical media, but at least you have something tangible. At least it can be carried around wherever you want, and at least you know it’s there. It’s reliable.

I can’t say the same about digital. I own a Switch, and three of my games are download-only. I love them, but do I really own them? Considering they’re size-limited and can easily be archived, I’m not so sure. And what if my Switch is corrupted, or I have to transfer information to another one? Am I guaranteed to have my information remain intact?

Then there’s the issue of whether or not I really own downloads. With physical media, even of cruddy quality, I own it indefinitely. It sounds silly to be proud of my DVD collection, for example, but I really do take pride in it. I know that the DVDs are all mine because I paid for them, and I know that they’re mine because I don’t have to jump through hurdles to prove that. There’s no need for renewal, no need for contracts and no need for shelling out cash for subscription fees. I buy it once, and I own it forever.

I don’t have that same luxury with digital. With digital, I’m often saddled with DRM complications that restrict my downloads. With digital, I have to sign waivers that restrict who I can share with. And with digital, I’m forced to spend monthly fees to keep my membership intact. Sometimes, that also extends to what I want to consume.

To top it all off, there’s the issue of diversifying memberships in order to properly view or enjoy everything. With physical media, it’s one-stop-fits-all. With digital media, I have to dabble a little here and a little there, all-the-while praying I don’t rack up excessive bills. This is especially an issue because some media’s only available on specific streaming services, making keeping on top of all of them exhausting. Even with the aforementioned Studio Ghibli, only 21 of their movies will be available on HBO Max. The exception, Grave of the Fireflies, is currently on Hulu, because licensing issues.

I don’t want to come off as unfairly negative, though. I like the possibilities digital offers, especially on an eco-environmental level. But when it becomes needlessly complicated to use it, for all of the above reasons, then there’s a problem. And it’s one I’m not entirely sure has an easy, one-size-fits-all solution.

If it makes people feel better, I’m not against the option of HBO Max streaming Studio Ghibli’s repertoire entirely, which is where my frustrations began. I merely think that, like with anything entertainment-related, there should be the option to choose. People who like physical media should be allowed to buy physical media, while people who like digital should have the option to do so. Because, in the end, that’s not so unrealistic a compromise, right?

But what do I really know about this?