Analyst Believes Most AAA Games Will Be Digital Only By 2028

Expert Verified By

The Death of Physical Games Next Generation?

Physical games have been an important part of the gaming industry for several decades. However, with the increasing shift toward digital media, physical games have begun to lose importance for general audiences.

Recently, Alan Wake 2 was announced to be a digital-only release. Fans have discussed the potential death of physical games for several years, and this announcement led to another discussion around the subject.

Following the discussion, an analyst has predicted that digital-only releases for major AAA games will become common by 2028.

Why it matters: Digital games are usually more convenient, but physical games have the unique benefit of preservation. They also allow users to trade or sell older titles.

Mat Piscatella is a games analyst at Circana who has been known to report on various parts of the industry. According to the analyst, digital-only releases will become more common over the next two years.

Recent console releases like the PS5 Digital Edition and the Xbox Series S show a similar trend. While previous generation consoles have shipped with a disc drive at launch, both Microsoft and Sony introduced digital options from the beginning of the current generation.

Many deluxe and collector’s editions have also begun to include digital codes for games. Additionally, bundles like the PS5 Horizon Forbidden West console do not include physical discs for consumers.

The PC gaming industry has already adopted a digital-only future, with storefronts like Steam and Epic Games Store. However, used disc games are still an important part of console gaming.

Abandoning physical releases would lead to concerns about preservation. Titles like Activision’s Spider-Man games were removed from digital stores after several years, but physical discs allow fans to enjoy such titles even after they are taken down.

Therefore, the industry might face some backlash when transitioning toward the future of digital games.

Previously, digital-only releases were mostly limited to indie games like Rocket League and Cuphead. However, these games also received physical editions later down the line.

With the industry quickly moving toward a digital future, it would not be surprising to see AAA games following a similar pattern, with physical media becoming the exception rather than the norm.

Was our article helpful? 👨‍💻

Thank you! Please share your positive feedback. 🔋

How could we improve this post? Please Help us. 😔

Gear Up For Latest News

Get exclusive gaming & tech news before it drops. Sign up today!

Join Our Community

Still having issues? Join the Tech4Gamers Forum for expert help and community support!

Latest News

Join Our Community

104,000FansLike
32,122FollowersFollow

Trending

AOHI Boasts Huge Kickstarter For Class-Leading Starship 240W Power Bank

AOHI's Starship 240W power bank is poised to dominate the competition, thanks to an enticing price point, the 27,600mAh capacity, and more.

Black Ops 6 Zombies Voice Actors Quit In Protest Amid Excessive AI Usage

Activision is increasing its reliance on artificial intelligence for Call of Duty, leading to voice actors stepping away from Black Ops 6.

Dragon Age: The Veilguard Has Somehow Won A Game of The Year Award

One of the most famous magazines, Time, declared Dragon Age: The Veilguard as Game of the Year 2024 despite it being highly criticized.

Xbox’s Content Quite A Bit Stronger Than PlayStation This Holiday Season, Says Analyst

A reputed analyst believes that Xbox is closing the year with a much better content lineup than PlayStation.

Indiana Jones Becomes Xbox’s Best-Rated First-Party Title This Year On Steam

Indiana Jones early access has received a lot of positive reception from fans, making it the best-rated Xbox first-party game this year.