Amazon's Rings of Power series might be gearing up for a third season, but its first two chapters are seeing official Blu-ray releases you can pre-order ahead of their launch this November.
I am not the biggest supporter of Amazon's Rings of Power series, but I am probably the most insufferable Tolkien nerd you'll meet. I'm also a big believer that physical media, be it books, albums, Blu-rays, old maps, or hand-me-down sparkly armour given to you by an uncle, is worth valuing in our world today.
I likely don't need to fill you in on the conversation surrounding physical media that's been dominating the gaming headlines this summer, but if there was one company I didn't expect to support physical media with one of its flagship digital products, it's Amazon Prime Video with its Rings of Power show.
Its probably one of Prime Video's biggest assets and thus, something Amazon would want to protect with exclusivity to its all-digital streaming service. The show has famously become the most expensive TV project ever made, with a budget that goes beyond a billion in spending. And yet, Amazon is allowing you to watch it without Prime Video now by officially launching Blu-rays of it that you can buy.
On one hand, I'm stunned by this. Amazon, the biggest retailer on the planet, is making a move that goes against its competitive streak against the likes of Netflix, Disney Plus, and HBO Max - who'd have thought? On the other hand, the company likely realises that fans of this genre appreciate having keepsakes, collections, and physical media they can own and enjoy at home without the continual upkeep of a subscription cost.
No matter your thoughts on Rings of Power as a series (I have many), by making this series available outside its subscription service, Amazon is admitting that long-term ownership through physical media is something that transcends practical business decisions - it feeds deeper fandom.
Or, if I'm giving Amazon too much credit, maybe they're jumping on the trend of physical media being "in" at the moment for nerds like us.
Even with my criticisms of Rings of Power to one side, I can't help but admit that its production value is at a ludicrous height, so just like I did with the 4K Blu-ray remasters of Peter Jackson's (much superior) LOTR films, I'd definitely enjoy seeing the show's epic visuals and hearing its superb soundtrack in 4K Blu-ray fashion.
Regardless of Amazon's reasoning for this long-awaited Blu-ray release, what does it say about Sony and PlayStation committing (and even doubling down) on the end of its physical media support? If Amazon, a famously profit-minded and increasingly digitized company that's set against brick-and-mortar stores, is making decisions that support physical media, why shouldn't console makers? Yes, Amazon was a book retailer before anything else, but in a similar way, PlayStation consoles have always used discs, so it's still a worthy comparison in my eyes.
The third season of Rings of Power is headed to our screens via Prime Video on November 11th. It's going to see a staggered release with the first four episodes on November 11th, then Episodes 5 and 6 on November 18th, before the final Episodes 7 and 8 on November 25th.
The Blu-rays available to pre-order through the links above are all set for launch on November 11th.
For some more Lord of the Rings merch, check out the best lego sets, and the best board games.
