The digital transformation in the gaming world seems to continue at full speed: The latest data shared by leading industry analyst Mat Piscatella reveals the decline of physical disc sales for console games. Especially the fact that the majority of PlayStation 5 users prefer digital purchases explains why Sony didn’t include a disc drive in the PS5 Pro.

How long will physical disc sales last?

According to data collected between January and August of 2024, 78% of the games sold on the PS5 platform were purchased digitally. This marks a 3% increase compared to last year. On the Xbox Series X|S platform, the digital purchase rate is even higher: 91%. The only exception seems to be Nintendo Switch users, who take a more traditional approach, with 47% of them opting for physical media.

The research only considered games that have both physical and digital versions. Games released only in digital format and games whose sales data were not shared by publishers were not included in the statistics. Downloads through Xbox’s Game Pass were also not reflected in these figures.

Experts warn that these numbers may not fully reflect demand. Retailers being more cautious with stock and publishers pushing digital sales more aggressively are among the factors influencing these figures.

The fact that 22% of sales on the PS5 are still physical copies indicates that physical media won’t completely disappear. Sony’s decision to make the disc drive optional for the PS5 Pro is seen as a smart move in response to changing market dynamics. This approach allows digital gamers to save $100 while still offering an option for physical copy collectors.

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