Is this because wages and costs have gone up, or is this primarily going to profits for the companies?
It’s classic supply/demand. Back when high end home video like LaserDisc was a niche market, the cost of a movie was like $75 and only sold at boutique shops because so few bought them. More $/unit.
By the time DVD came around it went mass market, so that drove the price down of a movie significantly. But that’s a good thing, cheaper meant more buyers which meant more money. And places like Best Buy are everywhere and sold them.
Now BD/UHD is basically returning to the LaserDisc niche model. Less buyers, everyone’s digital now, so they drive the price per unit back up again. And Best Buy dropping them, they’ll go back to a handful of retailers.
Probably a bit of both, but also think they’re actively trying to dissuade folks from buying physical media.
Everything else has skyrocketed in price. I’m sure that has a lot to do with it.
I used to buy at least one Blu-ray a week on average. Now, I buy less than ten a year. I bet I’m not the only one there. Less demand means less supply, means higher prices. Not really surprising.
IP owners know an increasing number of people are giving up streaming services and going back to physical, so they’re raising the prices on physical to make up for the loss.
Pirating will always be the way.
