Will buying video games in physical format soon be a thing of the past? The question arises, especially after the latest rumors concerning Game, one of the main resellers on the market. The brand has rightly expressed itself on the subject.
We know that physical media, whether for video games, films or series, are going through dark times. Since the advent of the digital format and the explosion of its popularity (notably with the global Covid-19 pandemic), many players in the sector have decided to reduce the pressure on “box” sales.
Best Buy, the equivalent of Fnac in the United States, for example, surprised everyone in October 2023 by announcing the outright cessation of sales of films, series and video games in physical format in Uncle Sam’s territory. For its part, if Microsoft continues to support physical support today, it is only to satisfy the majority of its customers. However, former Xbox boss Phil Spencer was clear on the subject: if digital continues to gain ground compared to physical, the manufacturer will be able to abandon it for good.
Game will continue to sell boxed games…for now
Lately, new rumors concerning Game, a famous chain specializing in the sale of physics games, may have worried players. For good reason, according to a report from the Gfinity ESports site, the brand intended to stop sales of boxed software in its many stores around the world. To have your game in a “box” at Game, you must go through the reservation/pre-order box via the official website or in store.
But rest assured, the end of physics is not for now, at least at Game. Indeed, a spokesperson for the company has just denied this information, specifying that it was “categorically false”. He pursues : “Game continues to support the physical gaming market, offering a wide range of physical games, hardware, software, accessories and digital products, both in-store and online.
If we can find Game’s statements reassuring, we must however remember that the brand has already taken drastic measures against the physical… Since February 2024, customers can no longer bring their old games back to the store to exchange them for new ones. vouchers or cash. The second-hand market has therefore officially died at Game since this date.