With the introduction of the PlayStation 2 in 2000, one of the changes I noticed at the time was the different way in which game discs were packaged. Rather than the previous plastic cases, games were distributed in cases similar to the cases in which DVDs are still sold in today. Out of interest, was there anything in particular that prompted this change?
1 Answer
Cheaper to produce. That's about it. They also allowed bigger instruction booklets to be attached, which was a bonus. Original cases were specially made for PS1 games, where as new ones used more standarnized format that could be produced more easily (you could cast them in a single mold instead of requring assembly from several parts).
They are also stronger than the original plastic cases, which had tendency to break due to various joints and being composed of multiple parts. As a result, they were easier to transport.
TL;DR
Cheaper, more robuts and easier to transport.