- Xbox games only accounted for 4% of physical game sales in the US this year.
- PlayStation titles made up 32% of consumer spending on physical games, while Nintendo accounted for 63% of the total.
- Overall, physical game spending took a massive hit in July, reaching its lowest point since tracking began.
Weeks after Sony’s industry-shaking announcement, protests against the gaming giant’s decision to halt disc production are still going on. Many players are planning to drop their PS5 and PS4 consoles for a whole week starting Monday in a bid to hurt the company’s treasured active user count.
PlayStation is already pushing digital consoles in its adverts as it moves to a digital-only future bereft of any physical discs. As it turns out, the gaming giant’s switch to digital media might be the final blow to the physical format, as Xbox games aren’t pulling their weight on the market.
Why it matters: PlayStation titles account for a massive share of consumer spending on physical media, and unless Xbox shifts its Game Pass-centric approach, Team Green won’t fill the hole Sony is digging.
As reported by Kotaku, based on a Circana report, Xbox games only account for 4% of physical game sales in the US this year. Nintendo is the leading platform in 2026, accounting for 63% of consumer spending on physical video games in the region, while PlayStation titles made up a hefty 32% of the market share.
However, it seems like Sony’s announcement has already had an effect on the industry, as physical game sales in July were the lowest since tracking began in 1995. Only $85 million was spent by consumers on physical media this past month, with Xbox barely adding to the numbers.
Therefore, with Xbox titles already disappearing from several game stores due to dismal performance like this and PlayStation shutting the door on physical media, it feels like Nintendo will be the new backbone of the billion-dollar industry.
Furthermore, despite various countries showing interest in physical media, as showcased by the digital-to-physical split for Resident Evil Requiem, the story continues to be entirely different in the United States. With gaming giants like Take-Two and Capcom also showing indifference to physical discs, the rise of digital media feels closer than ever.
Do you think the physical market will crash after PlayStation stops publishing discs? Should Xbox put more emphasis on its physical disc sector? Tell us in the comments below or head to the Tech4Gamers forum for discussion.
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Shameer Sarfaraz has previously worked for eXputer as a Senior News Writer for several years. Now with Tech4Gamers, he loves to devoutly keep up with the latest gaming and entertainment industries. He has a Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science and years of experience reporting on games. Besides his passion for breaking news stories, Shahmeer loves spending his leisure time farming away in Stardew Valley. VGC, IGN, GameSpot, Game Rant, TheGamer, GamingBolt, The Verge, NME, Metro, Dot Esports, GameByte, Kotaku Australia, PC Gamer, and more have cited his articles.
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