The Market For DVDs – Still Relevant in a Streaming World
Streaming services have undoubtedly changed how people watch movies, but the market for DVDs is not entirely gone. Since their debut in 1997, DVDs revolutionised home entertainment. They were compact, offered better picture quality than VHS, and quickly became the preferred choice for movie collectors and casual viewers alike. Their popularity remained strong for more than a decade.
Everything began to shift when Netflix introduced its streaming model in 2011. Audiences who once lined up for DVD rentals suddenly found a new way to consume films without physical media. The appeal of instant access and large libraries became hard to resist. As more households adopted fast internet connections, streaming became the norm. This naturally led to a decline in DVD sales.
Despite this, DVDs have not completely vanished. They continue to occupy space in many entertainment departments. While they no longer dominate store displays like they once did, their presence is consistent. If DVDs were irrelevant, they would have disappeared entirely from major retailers. Yet that has not happened.
Are DVDs Still Worth Selling Today?
With digital services dominating, many wonder whether DVDs still make sense as a retail product. The decline in sales has been sharp, but there’s more nuance beneath the surface. DVDs remain part of the standard stock for department stores, discount retailers, and even supermarket chains. While Blu-rays and 4K discs have taken some market share, DVDs are still easier to produce and cheaper for consumers to buy.
There’s also something to be said for convenience. Not everyone has reliable internet. Rural areas often lack fast, stable connections that make streaming smooth. For these viewers, DVDs remain a practical choice. Insert a disc, press play, and enjoy—no buffering, no app errors, and no subscription needed.
It’s also worth considering the emotional aspect. For some, DVDs are part of a routine or collection. They provide a tactile experience that streaming can’t match. Holding the case, reading the description, admiring the artwork—these simple pleasures still matter to many film lovers.
The Market For DVDs: Who’s Still Buying?
Surprisingly, the largest share of current DVD users comes from a tech-savvy age group—people aged 25 to 39. It’s not what you might expect. That demographic is often seen as the core market for streaming platforms. Yet they continue to buy DVDs, either to own hard-to-find titles or avoid subscription fatigue.
Streaming platforms often rotate content. A film that’s available today may be gone next month. DVDs, on the other hand, offer a sense of permanence. If you buy it, you keep it. There’s no risk of losing access because of licensing deals or corporate reshuffles.
Many buyers are also frustrated by the limited selections on platforms like Netflix, Hulu, and Prime Video. While these services boast thousands of titles, they often lack depth. Popular classics, niche films, and foreign titles are frequently missing. DVDs fill that gap by offering access to what streaming leaves out.
Production Still Thrives Behind the Scenes
The assumption that DVDs are dead doesn’t match industry behaviour. For example, Technicolor Home Entertainment Services has projected the release of 750 million DVDs over a single year. That number speaks volumes about the ongoing demand. Even with streaming as the dominant model, studios continue to invest in DVD production.
This trend also reflects how DVDs still factor into the distribution pipeline. When a film completes its theatrical run, studios often count on physical sales and rentals to recover costs. While digital sales have grown, physical copies still represent a significant slice of post-theatre earnings.
Redbox is another signal. Their rental kiosks remain active in supermarkets, convenience stores, and pharmacy chains across the country. If DVDs were irrelevant, these kiosks would have disappeared years ago. Instead, they’re restocked with new releases every week.
A Cautious Future, But Not an Obsolete One
While DVDs are no longer at the forefront of entertainment media, it’s clear they are not entirely obsolete. Their role has shifted—from mass-market leader to niche favourite. Collectors, casual movie watchers, and those without streaming access still keep the format alive.
It’s smart to grab your favourite titles while they’re still being pressed. Though there’s no immediate threat to DVD availability, the long-term future is less certain. Studios may eventually scale back production, especially if demand continues to drop year over year.
But for now, DVDs continue to serve a purpose. They provide choice, stability, and simplicity in a market flooded with digital noise. The market for DVDs may not be booming, but it’s definitely not gone.
Why People Still Buy DVDs in 2025
The rise of streaming platforms has changed how people consume movies, but it hasn’t erased the value of physical media. For many film lovers, the DVD remains an essential part of the entertainment landscape. It’s not just about nostalgia—it’s about control, quality, and access. While streaming might seem more modern, there are clear reasons to keep building a DVD collection.
Let’s explore what makes DVDs relevant in today’s digital-first world.
Playback Quality That Doesn’t Fluctuate
One of the most overlooked advantages of DVDs is their consistent playback quality. Unlike streaming, which compresses video and audio to make content easier to transmit over the internet, DVDs store the content exactly as intended.
Streaming services reduce file sizes to prevent buffering. That sounds helpful, but it also means lower resolution, washed-out color, and audio that lacks depth. DVDs don’t have these problems. They deliver steady video and full-range audio every time.
Even if you’re watching on a high-end screen, streaming services may throttle bitrate during peak hours or if your Wi-Fi isn’t perfect. With a DVD, none of that matters. Insert the disc, and the movie plays at its full resolution—no interruptions, no downgrades.
More Control Over the Viewing Experience
When you stream a movie, you’re at the mercy of the platform. The interface decides what features you can use and how the picture looks. With DVDs, you have more flexibility. You can adjust contrast, brightness, and even subtitle settings with greater ease.
DVD menus also let you jump directly to specific scenes, extras, or alternate audio tracks. Streaming interfaces often bury those features—or don’t offer them at all. If you care about how your movie looks and sounds, DVDs let you take control in ways streaming doesn’t.
Bonus Features That Streaming Skips
One of the most popular reasons people still buy DVDs is the availability of bonus content. This includes deleted scenes, director commentaries, gag reels, behind-the-scenes footage, and cast interviews.
Streaming platforms rarely include these extras. Some titles might come with a short featurette, but full-length commentary tracks or deep-dive documentaries are almost never available.
DVDs give viewers a richer, more informative experience. Whether you’re interested in the director’s creative process or want to hear actors discuss their roles, these features make movies more than just something you watch. They become something you understand and appreciate.
Access to Special Editions and Alternate Cuts
Streaming services focus on the most popular, standard versions of movies. But what if you want to see the director’s cut, extended edition, or theatrical version that differs from today’s release?
DVDs give you those choices. Many discs come with multiple cuts of the film or include collector’s editions that contain hard-to-find versions. Whether you want to compare scenes or just prefer one version over another, physical discs give you the power to decide what you see.
You’re not stuck with what the studio thinks is most marketable—you get access to the version that fits your interest.
Long-Term Access and Ownership
Streaming libraries are constantly changing. Movies are added, removed, or hidden without notice. Sometimes titles are pulled due to licensing changes or platform rotations. Even purchased digital content can be revoked if a service shuts down or loses rights.
DVDs don’t disappear. Once you own a copy, it’s yours for life. There’s no login, no subscription, and no corporate decision that can take it away.
This permanence is critical. If you love a movie and want guaranteed access to it, buying the DVD is the safest option. You can watch it next week, next year, or in a decade—exactly as it is.
DVDs Still Have a Place in Modern Entertainment
Some people assume that DVDs are outdated, but they remain active in the entertainment ecosystem. Retailers still stock them. Studios still produce them. Redbox still rents them. There’s even been a quiet resurgence in physical media collecting, especially among younger audiences who want to disconnect from subscription culture.
What’s more, DVDs often serve audiences that streaming ignores. People in rural areas or with limited data plans benefit from a media format that works offline. Families can rely on DVDs for predictable content that won’t vanish between viewings.
There’s also the creative and nostalgic appeal. Many collectors enjoy building themed libraries, from horror films to classic comedies. Displaying your favorite titles, lending them to friends, or introducing them to the next generation becomes part of the viewing experience.
Is This Format Making a Comeback?
Nobody can say how long the renewed interest in DVDs will last. Trends shift quickly, and digital distribution isn’t slowing down. But right now, there’s genuine demand. New titles are still being released. Used DVD markets are thriving. And collectors are more active than ever.
Even if DVDs eventually fade from mainstream shelves, they won’t disappear entirely. Their low production costs and broad compatibility ensure they’ll stick around as long as people want them.
So if you’ve been on the fence about whether DVDs are still worth buying, the answer depends on what you value. If you want permanence, control, and access to versions and extras that streaming can’t provide, DVDs remain one of the best options in 2025.