Popular US retail chain GameStop has revealed some interesting information about the state of physical and digital video games based on DFC data. The retailer says that only 5% of digital downloads are sold to the consumer for AAA games. That means that 95% of purchases are for physical based games. That’s a shockingly low figure for digital games. It could well be due to their expensive pricing and average broadband speeds.
Slide 7 shows some key statistics based on DFC data which analyzes the AAA games sold in 2014. You can see that DFC estimates that of the total number of AAA videogames sold last year 12% were downloaded and 88% were physical. Of the 12% downloaded, it is estimated that 60% were given away in hardware bundles, that means about 5% of AAA titles were downloads, but were actually paid for by consumers. DFC estimates that full game downloads of AAA titles paid for by consumers made up only 2% of the total physical and digital software market.
Thanks, SuperSonic
I refuse to buy digital unless forced. I like having the physical copy. Being able to take the game out of the box that first time has a certain unexplainable charm. Also, digital games can take up a lot of space. Apparently I am not alone in the preference for physical copies.
I agree. Having the actual game cases and discs is better imo. I wish all games had physical copies…
I also agree, I even order cases and booklets if needed for past games to make them whole. There are however several downloaded titles on my 3DS, but if its a game I really care about or want to support I buy that shit brand new and physical.
And yet, many criticize Wii U for having low storage solutions when in fact that THIS is exactly why that’s the case. Nintendo knew the consumer market isn’t fully ready not acceptable to completely advance to digital media completely.
But now, those who want to buy SOME digital only games don’t have enough space for more than 10 medium-large download-only games. (Metroid Prime Trilogy set me back a looooot of space…)
Nintendo had low storage because the price would have made the system more money and the tablet was and is still why the system is the price that it is. They used the excuse that people could use flash cards and their own drives, but storage was important and why people choose the black model over the white model. White was at 8GB and black was 32GB. A lot of these games also need space to save their data, and many HDD’s didn’t support the Wii U at lunch or still don’t with the update last year. That’s why.
I only prefer digital for handhelds like my 3DS… I do occasionally get physical games on it, but mainly just digital now for ease of buying it and stuff.
Agreed. All the free digital games Nintendo has offered me (such as a free Wind Waker HD download) I sell on eBay. I want the disc. Plus there is no room on the Wii U hard drive so how do they expect you to download games?!!
I’m not going to go out and buy an external hard drive just to hook up to a video game console. Build your product correctly.
I personally, would rather get a new digital game than a game I already have physical and just sell the code… I like some limitations like that, otherwise I wouldn’t play games like Wii Party U and such…
That’s not a bad reason and I agree and have the same feelings. But I always say fuck GameStop because us wanting physical copies are the reasons why the milk us off these fucking games. Like Xenoblade and Metroid Trioligy. They are fucking scaplers on a retailer level, as you see on many different ends. Best example: the Majora’s Mask bundle which they “out of nowhere” came to have stuck when an article came out saying that no retailer should or does have the bundle because it was super limited edition. Doesn’t that say something?
Yeah I was kinda steamed over the release of extra MM 3ds edition units. But really its just business, while they’re practices aren’t always the best for your money. I’ve been selling/buying games through GameStop since N64 was a craze, and honestly iv never had an issue with orders or needing to return a product for cash or another. I do wish they did member loyalty or something. Cause I’d win a flippin award.
That actually is the reason why digital games are selling lower now because of the price costing the same amount as a game selling at retail that sucks for me because I been buying digital
So that’s why Nintendo is always hush on giving us info on digital sales. Still not an excuse to think 8Gigs would be acceptable for 2025. That’s why the 8gig version is gone now.
2025 can i come in your time machine,or maybe your batty you silly fool
makes sense, but digital is growing fast
i prefer phys to digital
Who will go to a store to buy a digital game? The most digital thing i have ever bough is a eshop card and that’s physical too!
Without digital there wouldn’t be a eshop or Xbox market place and psn store this is the future of buying games with digital you dont have to worrie about your games being scratched or broken its much better bro
Physical copies are shit. A thing of the past. The games on the eshop cost the same damn price as the ones in store. If you have slow fucking than that’s your ass. Plus if you buy a game in store you have to deal with extra fucking taxes which makes the game even higher.
*internet connection
>>>Don’t buy physical copies from abomations like Gamestop then human and you won’t have to deal with higher costs>>>
The only thing I buy from those fuckers are accessories. I regret doing it later though
Physical copies save you money in the long run. The more digital you buy, the more space you take up on your systems and the more money and time you spend on memory and doing long-ass time transfers
A 32gb USB only cost around $3.00 to $20.00 dollars. Your point is so fucking irrelevant.
32 GB isn’t going to do anything with these current consoles. GTA V alone takes up over 50 GB. And I believe the Master Chief Collection takes over 60. 32 GB won’t even last long on the Wii U if you’re downloading games.
I used a 32gb usb to classify the cheapest you can buy large storage. A 60gb and a
100gb USB is in the price range of $30 to $60 dollars depending oh brand. That not a lot a fucking money. Are people getting that fucking poor?
No. Physical copies DO save you money because the games go down in price at retail stores. And you can sell them or trade them in towards other games. It isn’t just about space. Due to the fact that you have to install every game, (on PS4 and XB1) you aren’t saving any storage space anymore by going physical, so everyone is going to have to eventually buy more space anyways.
Steam destroys any physical copy price.
True. But we’re talking about consoles.
That sell digital games at terrible prices in comparison
“If you have slow fucking than that’s your ass.” Haha that sentence can be taken out of context it’s great. Keeping in topic, I do agree about the taxes part. It’s definitely split on me.
Digital games is not the future. Digital games have been around for years and years, so why hasn’t it dominated the market yet? Because 95% of people prefer physical games, and no amount of time will change that fact. Not five years, not ten years. I have about 15 old games I can trade in for about 50 – 70 dollars probably. What can you do with your old digital games? Oneday a hacker will break into the app store, or psn, or Xbox live, and start downloading free games. Next thing you know Microsoft and Sony will start incorporating DRM, and you can kiss digital gaming goodbye.
Its cause in the US the internet is really slow…and it gets slower the further out you get from metro areas.
I live in the U.S. and my internet is lightning fast..
I believe it. Personally I prefer physical because it’s easier to find a sale and I can resell it unless it’s on the xbone then I can get it for half price.
While I like physical, the boxes take up too much space for my liking nowadays. I just put the case in a box and the disc in a media binder.
All you have to do is get a bookshelf. You could hold up to five hundred games on one small bookshelf. I love displaying my games and collections. It feels a void inside me..
I used to do that. But now I’m married and have to share space with her stuff and my other hobbies. I own 16 different consoles and have good-sized libraries for each of them, and it just want jiving.
Besides, I have plenty of videogame paraphernalia to display from ccollector’s editions.
That would be 5% sales AT GameStop…. Would not account for those just bought at home on their console. Nobody is buying digital at gamestop versus at home.
The link specifically states it’s for digital games in general, not just Gamestop
“Based on DFC data.” Not gamestop data.
I always purchase physical versions of games. I enjoy the artwork and displaying my collection. When my system decides to die, I still have my games on disc.
There are people who still use Dial up connection.
How would Gamestop even know this? They ONLY sell the retail versions of games. Sure they sell points towards the eShop, Microsoft Store and PS Store, but they don’t know what you do with those points after you buy them. Gamestop isn’t Nintendo, Microsoft and Sony.
Gamestop is either reiterating what some other company has figured out or they are making a guesstimate.
They actually do sell digital copies of games. It’s actually sometimes useful, as you can use trade credit and bypass taxes spending on your state.
Why many must wonder why Wii U only sports 32GB storage for digitals? That’s why.
This actually makes a lost of sense. If digital is the same price at physical at launch, physical is worth far more, with the ability to trade/resell/borrow. Digital immediately loses all monetary value upon purchase.
Then there is the issue that digital prices very rarely stay with physical price drops. Even digital ‘deals’ are usually the same or higher than current physical prices (both used and new). Nintendo is horrendous with pricing, but the others are nearly as bad
Agree 100%. It just makes no sense to buy digital AAA games.
AAA is a meaningless buzzword.
Not really. When someone says “AAA game” you immediately think of GTA, Final Fantasy, Bloodbourne, Mario Kart, etc. etc. It’s a quick and easy way to say “well known million dollar blockbuster game”. Just like “Freemium” means “piece of dog shit app store ipad game that isn’t worth two fucks”.
I wish I knew why all Gamestop stores are too freakin’ small? I can never look peacefully at games in their store because it’s so small and cramped. And people keep getting in my way all the time. There’s times when I can’t even get to what I want to look at because of people being in my way.
The gamstop near my house is pretty big. However the one in the Galleria is really tiny..
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I made sure NOT to have an opinion prior to trying digital distribution (that’s what 90% of everyone does) and now I love it. But this makes sense. People hate anything that’s unfamiliar~
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