A significant number of players still prefer the disc to the digital version of the game – INDIA

They are physical versions of games on retreat? The share of digital versions is increasing every year, Sony and Microsoft sell consoles without Blu-ray drives, and some developers and companies release games only in digital form. For the last time Alan Wake 2 from Remedy, which is now available physically.

Luckily, the boxes will be with us on store shelves for some time to come. Statistics from Europe and the US show that a significant number of players still prefer the disc to the digital version. Boxes are more popular in Europe. In both cases it depends on the individual games.

In the case of Europe this is interesting. Astro Bot. The PlayStation 5 platformer in physical form has generated a lot of interest. Perhaps the higher price on the PlayStation Store compared to the digital version plays a role in this, as well as a shorter adventure that you can then play through later.

In both Europe and the US, professional games sell the most physically. Nintendo Switch. On the old continent they make up 65%, and overseas – 47%. In Europe for PS5 32% of games will be sold physically and 22% in the US, which is 3% less than last year. Interestingly, Switch in the US grew its box share by one percent year over year. This is only third place Xbox series X/S. In Europe it’s still a good 19%, but in the US it’s only 10%. Xbox owners are much more likely to buy games digitally. Plus they use subscriptions Game Pass. But this should not be taken into account in these statistics.

The share of digital sales is growing year over year, not only due to increased use of subscriptions, but also due to more aggressive discounts and more diverse selection. For many, it’s also about convenience and the ability to play right away. On the other hand, the physical version can be sold. This is confirmed by the information that in single-player games the share of physical versions is 40%.

US analyst Matt Piscatella notes one thing. Although growth in the share of digital technologies has slowed recently, we should expect further growth. Especially considering consoles that are sold without disc drives.

In Europe, the statistics mainly include large publishers such as Sony, Microsoft, Electronic Arts, Ubisoft, Warner Bros. Take-Two Interactive, Activision Blizzard, Sega, Capcom or Square Enix.