The rise of digital versions of video games has slowly but surely dethroned the dominance of physical versions. Video Game Industry Analyst Mat Piscatella recently announced that sales of physical video games have declined significantly in the United States. In fact, sales in 2024 were only half of those in 2021. The situation becomes even more striking when compared to the peak of physical video game sales in 2008. According to Piscatella, sales have plummeted by 85 percent since then.
In the graph shared by Piscatella, it is evident that physical video games dominated the US market for many years. However, things began to change in 2009, with sales showing a downward trend. Despite many players still preferring to purchase physical copies, the graph clearly illustrates that digital games have become the norm.
The rise of digital games is understandable. Unlike physical video games, which require a trip to the store, digital games can be purchased and downloaded instantly over the internet. Players also avoid waiting for delivery when buying from online retailers like Amazon. However, this convenience is a double-edged sword. Many players are aware that digital games are harder to preserve, which is why there is still a push to keep physical video games alive. Unfortunately, it seems to be a losing battle.
US Gamers who saw this report weren’t surprised either. Many agreed that they tend to purchase the digital version instead of going to a store. Others said that considering how often digital games go on sale on Steam, there is no reason to purchase the physical version. “Not exactly surprising,” one Redditor commented. “The Switch is the only console where the game actually runs off of the physical game. For the PlayStation and Xbox, the only benefit to physical is reselling, which most people don’t even do.”
Numerous gamers agreed that Nintendo is likely the number one company keeping the sales of physical games alive. Unlike games on other consoles, Nintendo rarely discounts its first-party titles. Others commented that physical versions would likely become niche collector’s items, meant to fill up the shelves.
