Discs rot over time, so you need to be careful how you store your game collection.

Physical media is important, so if you have a huge collection of discs/cartridges from Xbox, PlayStation or other consoles, it’s important to take care of them, because what you take out may work today, but not tomorrow! Many people prefer physical media, as digital games are basically just licenses these days (Steam is one of them!), and remember what Ubisoft said earlier. (We are talking about the same Ubisoft that made the first game of The Crew completely unplayable by shutting down the servers…)

Our digital games can also become unavailable from one moment to the next, but the same can be said for our collection of disks and tapes. Disc decay is certainly a phenomenon that many of us can encounter (because it’s quite common), disc decay is mostly caused by aging, but the process can also be accelerated by overexposure to UV light, oxidation, and dirt. The most important thing is to keep your collection in a cool, dry place and, of course, always keep the record in its case, where it belongs and where it’s less likely to get dirty.

Disc decay is a very real threat to physical media, and in fact digital collections may look more attractive in the long run, despite the difficulties they present. Let’s not forget that there are many PlayStation or Xbox games that are not currently available on the PlayStation Store or Microsoft Store, even through PlayStation Plus or Xbox Game Pass. That leaves emulation or remastering, remaking, but that is not always a viable option.

For this reason, it’s probably a good idea to back up your discs. After all, there is no law against it…

Source: Gamingbible