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I’m old-fashioned. I admit it. In my defence, I’m in my mid 30s, so I think I have a right to be. I still look back on my gaming childhood in the ’90s and noughties with great fondness. Back then, I took the exclusivity of physical video games for granted. Of course, the shift to digital sales dominance has been happening for decades. But, if recent news that UK physical video game sales crumbled in 2024 is any indication, it could now be a rout. And I’d argue that’s a very bad thing for us gamers.
Game Over?
A recent report, as spotted by VGC, suggests that the sale of physical video games collapsed spectacularly in the UK from 2023 to 2024. Of course, 2024 was a tough year for the industry, with countless layoffs and staggering flops. As a result, overall UK game sales revenue reportedly dropped 4.4% between 2023 and 2024.
But the fascinating figures are the difference between the decline in digital and physical sales. While digital sales dropped just 1% from 2023 to 2024, physical sales plummeted by nearly 35%. That’s an astonishing drop and, likely broadly indicative of the trend in the Western world, shows just how unpopular physical game sales have become.
Of course, the raw figures belie the nuances. It’s unclear whether sales from second-hand retailers like CEX are included. And, with a reported 12% increase in subscription revenue, that will further skew the figures in digital’s favor.
Regardless, it cannot be denied that physical game sales are continuing to decline, and quite spectacularly at that. The shift began in 2003 when Steam launched, revolutionizing PC game distribution. The console space gradually followed, as publishers came to realize just how profitable digital sales can be. After all, the price is strictly controlled by the platform holder and there’s none of that pesky manufacturing and distribution to worry about.
But, it actually wasn’t until 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, that digital sales exceeded physical sales in the console space. It seems that now the seal has been broken, there’s no going back. It may appear a minor issue, but I’d argue that the complete eradication of the physical video game format would be very bad news indeed for us gamers.
Let’s Get Physical
The physical versus digital video game debate has been raging for a while now and is almost as divisive as the console wars or arguments around game length.
In truth, there can be no denying that the digital format has its advantages for us players. For one, playing games digitally is far more convenient than swapping discs. Now that the majority of game data isn’t even on the disc, it’s also not like you save much installation time with a physical copy. And there are some decent deals to be had during sales, particularly on older titles.
The major downside of the digital format is, of course, a lack of resale potential. You don’t even own the games you “buy”, only a revocable license to play them, unless you go through GOG. It should perhaps go without saying, but publishers love this arrangement. They can set the price for each copy of a game and know that, unless refunded, they have your money and you cannot sell that game on.
It’s such a major downside, that it begs the question why the UK video game market has seen such a dramatic collapse in physical sales in one fiscal year. Partly, it’s because publishers are pushing the digital format so vigorously. There’s also the possibility that we’re becoming lazier. Comments on a Reddit thread on the news suggest some gamers simply aren’t aware of the wealth of UK retailers that still sell physical games. As well as mainstays like Curry’s and Amazon, there’s also the brilliant The Game Collection, ShopTo and SimplyGames that specialize in physical game sales, often at competitive prices.
Never Give Up, Never Surrender
Perhaps I’m being naive. Maybe the battle to keep physical video games alive is already lost. But I’m not willing to accept that, and neither should you.
While the indie space has a good reason for releasing games in digital-only format, the higher-budget AAA publishers have no such excuse. But they’d really, really like to abandon physical media if they can. That’s because it’s primarily in their interests to do so, but it isn’t in the players’ interests.
Every time physical sales dwindle, it reduces the competition that keeps the digital format at least somewhat in check. With no physical games media, any resale possibility vanishes. Publishers will be completely free to dictate pricing on their storefronts.
So, I urge you all to buy physical copies of video games if you can. Support the retailers that sell the physical format. If it collapses completely, as 2024 has warned may be a distinct possibility, it’ll mean less choice for all us gamers.
