A Massive 75% of UK Game Sales Were Digital Last Month

Up 10% from the previous August

Despite major publishers swearing never to go all-digital, physical game sales continue to slow as more and more people seemingly choose convenience over collection. A massive 75% of all game sales in the UK last month, 1.74 million, were digital, up 10% year-over-year since last August.

This occurrence was noted by GameIndustry.biz's Christopher Dring, who notes that last month was a quiet time for games, with a drop of 1.5% in comparison to the previous year (although Ubisoft's Star Wars Outlaws is not included, with collated UK market data ending on the 24th). Somehow, GTA 5 remained the month's best-selling game, with GTA Online in the number four spot.

Insider Gaming's Grant Taylor-Hill has a few theories about why UK gamers are increasingly choosing the digital option. Firstly, digital gaming has only become easier and more accessible, with consoles offering larger storage drives and price parity continuing to stabilise. Internet speeds are increasing constantly, and for more and more, simply downloading a game takes less time than going to a retail store. Plus, with the death of the midnight launch, digital preorders allow nocturnal gamers to dive in the second a game unlocks.

Speaking of retail, Taylor-Hill says that's a factor in the UK, with retailer GAME representing the only real "high street presence" in the region. It was recently reported that GAME would stop stocking games (a report which it quickly denied), and while we can't see physical games ever truly disappearing from store shelves, it's clear which way the wind is blowing.

Related Articles

News Capcom Says It Won't Give Up on Physical Games, Despite Utter Domination of Digital Sales

No Cap

Did you pick up any physical games last month, or did you just stay in instead? Let us know in the comments section below.

[source gamesindustry.biz, via insider-gaming.com]

• Share:
• 0

• 0
• 2

About Khayl Adam

Khayl Adam is Push Square's roving Australian correspondent, a reporter tasked with scouring the internet for the richest, most succulent PlayStation stories. With five years of experience as a freelance journalist and mercenary wordsmith, RPGs are his first great love, but strategy and tactics games are a close second, genres in which he is only too happy to specialize.

• Author Profile
• Twitter/X
• Reply

Comments 2

• 1
• AhmadSumadi
• 24m ago

It’s the wave! 180+ games on my console and no clutter in my house. Yes, there are pros and cons. But my statement alone is “pro” enough for me.

• 2

• 2
• Secryt
• 19m ago

nods For whatever reason gaming is the last major holdout of physical media that requires a dedicated device to enjoy (unlike books, which require no dedicated device; you just pick the book up). If physical was still a major sector of profitability, they wouldn’t be making consoles without disc drives. PC gamers have media-less for like what? The better part of two decades? Wouldn’t be surprised if next gen is the last of discs.

• 0

Show Comments

Leave A Comment

Hold on there, you need to login to post a comment...