Game Talk

I run a small game shop. Is physical really dying, or just changing?

I've run an independent game shop in the north of England for nine years. I want to give a balanced view, because the online conversation tends to be either 'physical is dead' or 'digital is evil', and the reality from behind the counter is messier.

New releases have dropped a lot for us, that's true. People download big games. But retro and pre-owned have grown every year, and so have collectors buying limited physical editions. Parents still come in for gifts, especially around Christmas, because a box is something you can wrap.

What worries me more is games that come in a box but are basically a download code, or need a huge day-one patch. Then the box is just packaging. I'm curious what people here still buy physical and why.