A recent report has revealed that the majority of game purchases in Germany are now digital, further emphasizing an uncomfortable trend for those who still value physical games. For most people, this won’t necessarily come as a surprise, as many gamers buy digital these days, whether they prefer physical or not. And an increasing number of titles, both onPCand console, only get digital releases.
Owning physical games has many advantagesbeyond just satisfying nostalgia. For collectors, nothing beats the feeling of owning shelves full of games, with iconic color schemes evoking entire console generations and fond memories. Companies like Limited Run Games, Playasia, and iam8bit speak to the ever-present demand for physical versions of beloved titles, and many people used to believe that owning a physical copy of a game meant true ownership and safety from the sometimes ephemerous nature of digital. Unfortunately, as highlighted by the Stop Killing Games movement, even possessing a real disc or cartridge doesn’t guarantee that a game will be playable forever.
It was already reiterated earlier in2025 that physical game sales are down in the US, but a newreport by the German Games Industry Associationhas confirmed the existence of a similar trend in that country as well. According to the data, approximately 7 out of 10 game purchases in Germany are now digital, and numbers show that in 2024 nearly 99% of PC games were bought digitally. On the other hand, most console game purchases were still physical, at a rate of 56%. While perhaps encouraging to hear, this is still a 4% decrease from 2023.
And the decline in physical sales is expected to continue. For example, the same German games association found that digital accounted for only 93% of PC sales just four years ago. While Germany represents one of Europe’s largest video game markets, similar migration to digital purchases is also happening elsewhere. The Digital Entertainment and Retail Association, a UK-based trade organization, estimated that89.5% of game purchases in the UK were digital in 2022.
Partly attributable to this is the fact that some major retailers, like Tesco in the UK, have stopped selling physical copies of video games entirely. And even as recently as the June 2025, fans were quick to point out that very few games announced during the Xbox Games Showcase had physical versions for sale on retail sites. However, in 2024, both Nintendo andCapcom have affirmed a commitment to physical game releases, and developers like the CEO of Super Rare Games have spoken out about the importance of physical media in the name of game preservation.
Just how valuable those physical releases are remains to be seen, though. With many discs in recent years containing what amounts to a simple key that provides access to a digital download, gamers are finding that their physical media doesn’t actually contain any media. EvenNintendo was called out for its game-key cardswhen the Switch 2 launched in June. Though some games come on what look like normal cartridge and come in a traditional box, they also contain only a key to unlock a download.
