Some Retailers Are Refusing to Sell GTA 6 Due to the Lack of a Disc

I was actually trying to say that 3 disks isn't that much I was used to 12 floppies when I played Amiga games.

You also don't own your games digitally on Steam.

I take your point about Steam's licensing, but at least those games go on some impressive sales from time to time.
A physical disk can be resold on the used market for a discount after some time. Can GTA VI's code in the box?

The lack of a disc version is ridiculous.

But not as ridiculous as the lack of online multiplayer at launch. I'm ancient enough to remember the GTA V release. The pre-release trailer specifically said, "Complete heists with your friends!" or something very close to that. Then the game launched and you couldnt do anything with your friends. Once online was finally added, it was broken for a month or two. And heists weren't added for 2 years.

Maybe I'll buy GTA VI in 2 years, because $80 for a single-player-only game without a disc is 100% not happening for me.

Also, for extra GTA-doomer content, I still expect them to put online mode's in-game currency on their own blockchain to prevent exploits, better enabling their bullshit monetization schemes.

A few games, like certain Battlefields, have tried making it so you can resell the disc for single player content but won't be allowed to access multiplayer content

People didnt like that, so I think they stopped doing that for recent Battlefields... not 100% sure

Battlefield... 4? did it to a limited extent - the code was required for online multiplayer, but not singleplayer.

By Battlefield 6, and enough people absolutely loathing their existence, EA took the hint and didnt repeat that model. Though BF6's campaign is apparently online-only, so they apparently pivoted to a different insane design choice.

We'll be back to physical memory cards.

Good. Boycott until a physical copy is sold at a lower price. Stop pre-ordering incomplete games and vote with your wallet.

We have Amazon, Walmart, and Best Buy here too. They all ship. And I don't think it's a stretch to say they outsell this little shop.

So, unionize?

Also, is it hard for someone who managed to get hired by a AAA company to get hired someone else? You'd think they'd be more valued.

You seem to be hung on that one example and have made a whole argument supported by it.

One does own their games on disc.

I can still play using my physical copies after all these years, regardless of whether I am logged into PSN or if I am playing it on a PS4 or a PS5.

Is it wrong to want to know better?

The decline:
1: Games come in physical cartridges/discs in boxes in a store, included will be a user manual and sometimes special booklets with world maps or posters.
Special editions come in fancy or metal cases, special colour variants, figurines and other trinkets.
Expansion packs are released that add between 80-150% the amount of content as the origional game.

2: Special editions start coming with lower quality physical items and less often.
Expansion packs start getting replaced by DLC packs, which are usually good value for money and add meaningful content to the game.

3: Games start shipping with less content and less testing as DLC's become more about bug fixes and adding content origionally planned as main release content.

4: Special editions consist basically just of a couple unique character skins or weapons whith no real lasting perks.
DLC starts becoming rediculously expensive and underwhelming as shitty value for money.
Loot boxes and similar mechanics start preying on gamers with the same underwhelming content.

5: Games can be bought physically, but you install on a console/PC and it gets locked to your account, no sharing the disc with friends.

6: Multiplayer is moved to almost exclusively online only with no couch co-op for the vast majority of games.
Online multiplayer only accessible with platform exclusive access subscription.

7: Games are sold as digital download only.

8: Games are downloaded but only sold as a subscription access.

9: Games are subscription only, but the game runs on their server and you just get the display stream feed + all inputs go back to the server to control the game.

10: You dont play games, you watch AI models play against each other whilst wearing VR headset, you dont enjoy it much but at least with the VR headset on you cant see the destruction outside your bunker since the climate change food riots.
Hope is on the horizon, apparently an indie dev is releasing a new version of tetris you will be able to play by actually pressing buttons yourself, 2035 is starting to look better after all.

I'm just gonna wait for epic to give it away. Didn't pay for 5, don't intend on paying for 6.

Also, for extra GTA-doomer content, I still expect them to put online mode’s in-game currency on their own blockchain to prevent exploits, better enabling their bullshit monetization schemes.

Why would they do this? Do you think they'd want people to sell their in-game currency to other people without them being able to take a cut? How would putting it on a block chain prevent exploits?