- Gamers still prefer to buy physical copies, report reveals.
- More than 50% of narrative and family games sold were in physical format.
- However, the physical market suffered a significant decline over the past year.
The video game industry has made significant efforts to transition towards a digital-only future, suggesting that physical media is now outdated and more expensive for manufacturers to produce.
However, gamers seem to feel otherwise and still lean toward purchasing physical copies of video games. A recent report supports this, stating that nearly 80% of Switch games sold in Europe were in physical format.
Why it matters: Physical media play a vital role in preserving video game history. Recent cases, such as players losing access to The Crew, underscore the fragility of digital ownership, raising concerns about whether players truly own their games.
Astro Bot on PlayStation 5, was 55% physical in the UK and nearly 60% physical across Europe. www.thegamebusiness.com/p/the-video-…
— The Game Business (@thegamebusiness.com) 2025-04-18T15:06:27.660Z
The Game Business recently released a report outlining sales figures for physical game copies. According to the data, 45% of Hogwarts Legacy sales, 49% of Assassin’s Creed Mirage sales, and 45% of Resident Evil 4 Remake sales in the UK were physical.
That means nearly half of the sales for these major titles came from physical copies. Some of these were bundled with consoles as well. Interestingly, Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 saw 54% of its sales in physical form, even outpacing digital sales.
On the other hand, Astro Bot on the PlayStation 5 sold 60% more physical copies in Europe and 55% more in the UK.
However, online-focused games like FC 2025 and WWE 2K25 leaned heavily into digital. Their digital sales increased compared to previous titles, even though overall units sold were lower this time around.
That said, the physical games market overall took a hit in 2024. Boxed PS5 game sales dropped by 800,000 units compared to last year, while Xbox saw a decline of 300,000. The Nintendo Switch experienced the steepest year-over-year decline by 1.8 million units, which had a noticeable impact on the physical market as a whole.
Still, the takeaway is that gamers are more likely to buy physical copies when it comes to narrative-driven or family-oriented games. Digital, on the other hand, is the preferred format for online-focused titles, which are often more affordable and convenient to access than their physical counterparts.
Do you still prefer to buy physical copies of video games? Let us know in the comments below, or join the ongoing discussion at the official Tech4Gamers Forums.
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[Staff Writer]
Shaheer is currently pursuing a Business degree while also working as a part-time Content Writer. With his deep passion for both writing and video games, he has seamlessly transitioned into a role as a Journalist. Over the past two years, Shaheer has contributed as a freelancer to various websites and landed positions on acclaimed platforms like Gamerant. Currently, his role at Tech4gamers is as a Features Writer, but he also covers News occasionally. Shaheer’s favorite gaming franchises are Assassin’s Creed and the God of War series.
Get In Touch: shaheerzahid03@gmail.com
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