14 DAY TRIAL // Right now, BDXL is the largest-capacity format of optical disc storage technology, enabling up to 128 GB per disk (quad-layer), but Sony and Panasonic think that's way too pedestrian.
So they have created a new high-capacity optical disc storage medium, called the Archival Disc.
It's called that way because its capacity of 300 GB (and higher) will allow people to store their data, in the long term, in bulk. It's basically an easier way to back up files for posterity.
The format is made for professional use, and the price will probably reflect that, but I doubt that it will be impossible for normal consumers to get a hold of the disc eventually, and use it for their own purposes.
Either way, the resistance to dust and water is key here, almost as important as the capacity, and the scalability.
And by scalability, I mean that the Archival Disc format will go from 300 GB to 500 GB, then 1 TB at some point in the future. Clearly, Sony and Panasonic aren't cutting any corners with this.
This is several times more impressive when considering that normal Blu-ray discs only have 25 GB of storage space. BDXL are only used for 3D 4K films and such, and Sony PlayStation games, though sometimes not even then.