For disc buyers and fans of physical media, the news is not good.
Combined DVD, Blu-ray and UHD disc sales continue to decline year after year.
Domestic sales, which stood at $3.29 billion in 2019, totaled just $1.97 billion by the end of last year, according to the Digital Entertainment Group. And figures for the first quarter of 2022 show sales slipping 19% year-over-year.
The trend is not unique to the United States with disc sales declining globally.
The only good news can be found in the growth in 4K UHD sales.
After surpassing the 10 percent mark of the video disc market in late 2021, UHD’s reached 11.9 percent in the first quarter of 2022 and 13.4 percent in the second quarter of this year, according to data compiled by VideoScan / MediaPlayNews.
“For now, it would seem that UHD Blu-ray is growing at the expense of regular Blu-ray,” FlatPanelsHD noted.
Orson Welles aficionado have noted the release of three Wellesian UHD discs in rect months — Citizen Kane, Touch of Evil and The Trial.
Related content:
‘The Trial’ getting 4K UHD release in Europe
‘Touch of Evil’ 4K UHD gets high marks in first reviews
Criterion ‘Citizen Kane’ UHD bolstered by fabulous extras (review)
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