What happens when studios stop releasing movies on disc?

I still subscribe to Netflix’s DVD-by-mail service because it offers an unparalleled selection of movies to watch.
Unlike the company’s streaming video service, Netflix’s DVD service offers movies from every major film studio. If it’s available on disc (DVD or Blu-ray), Netflix is likely to carry it, thanks to the first-sale doctrine in U.S. copyright law.
In the streaming sector, movie rights have Balkanized so films are spread out among different subscription video-on-demand services.
The nice thing about Netflix’s DVD service is that it’s the great equalizer. It gets movies from everywhere, regardless of studio. It even gets TV series from HBO, Showtime and others once they’re released on disc.
But Netflix’s DVD service has been steadily losing subscribers, in part because the parent company puts most of its marketing efforts behind streaming.
Lately I’ve been wondering what will happen when studios stop releasing movies on disc.
Major Hollywood blockbusters likely will continue to be available on disc for some time, but smaller budget movies, independent films and foreign films might skip physical media distribution.
Already retailers like Best Buy have reduced the store space they allot for DVDs. Redbox has cut back on the number of kiosks it maintains for renting discs.
The future appears set. Digital streaming via subscriptions will rise while movies for sale or rental on physical media will disappear. I just hope that takes a long time to happen.
When DVDs disappear, so will Netflix’s DVD business. But I intend to stay a subscriber to the bitter end.
Netflix’s DVD service had about 3.3 million subscribers last year. Netflix CEO Reed Hastings said he could see the service lasting for at least another five years, USA Today reported in March.
Last month, the Netflix DVD business celebrated 20 years of operation. I hope it has many more years ahead of it.
Without DVDs, consumers will have to sort through various streaming options to find the movies they’re looking for or else watch them on a pay-per-view basis.
Film buffs will mourn the loss of such DVD features as deleted scenes, director and actor commentaries and behind-the-scenes videos, which likely will go away when the shift to digital distribution is complete.
Streaming might be a more convenient way to watch movies, but it will be less satisfying when it’s the only option.