I don't think DLC will ever replace physical copies of software due to the fact at how large some games are getting. A lot of ps3 exclusives are starting to use dual layered Blu Rays, and many of the others take up a good portion of the single layer. Even multiplatform developers like Rock Star said they've used the DVD9 to its limit and that their games aren't getting any smaller. RPG's taking up multiple DVD's are also an example of this. Let's be honest - you're not going to download a 30GB file. Maybe one day you might, but not in the near future.

But mostly, I, too, like having that new game smell, being able to enjoy the manual, and have a box take its rightful place on a shelf/desk amongst its peers. Collector's Editions as well are starting to be a really big hit, more than ever.

DLC is also controversial in that the community of gaming publishers have caught it like a bug, and are now overloading the consumer with superfluous downloads and add-ons. I personally hope this passes soon and we are left with the majority being DLC with more substance and meaning.

However, it's great for things like Battlefield 1943. It's a great online experience, better than most retail games I dare say, and it comes at an affordable price. Of course, DLC is going to be the mainstay of smaller downloadable retro and niche games for some time to come.

Consoles and console games typically have been playing catch-up to what PC's have been doing over the last 15 or so years, and DLC, to me, is the way of them doing so with the expansion pack. That's welcome, but of course I'd rather get a great expansion to a game I own for $15 or $20 instead of 2 maps for $5, a character skin for $1.99, etc.