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Digital exceeds physical for the first time ever on PS4 (the future is here)

Kolx

Kolx

Member
Oct 25, 2017
8,505
1564469298-capture-d-ecran-2019-07-30-a-08-47-57.png



53% digital (doesn't include PS+ games). Was 43% a year ago. From Sony latest financial release. Likely to go below 50% next quarter with more big releases but the fact digital managed to exceed physical for 3 months is impressive. Though it was worth a separate thread since it got overshadowed by the shipment and the 100 million news.
 

____

Member
Oct 27, 2017
10,734
Miami, FL
I have rather rapidly converted to Digital Only....

The exception being if there is a fire-sale price or pricing error on physical copy.
 
DJwest

DJwest

Member
Oct 26, 2017
7,162
Still prefer physical but I've bought a lot of games digitally this gen, more than ever before. Hopefully the average game sizes don't jump to 100GB next gen
 
Gamer17

Gamer17

Banned
Oct 30, 2017
9,399
and with BC , PS5 will be off to an amazing start. IMO next gen will not be hard reset due to this uprising of digitals and ecosystem this gen
 
Miles Davis

Miles Davis

Alt account
Banned
Jun 22, 2019
802
Even a guy like me with a huge CD and bluray/uhd collection is digital for games. I just don't have the space, and don't care for the artwork much. Plus they are utterly useless to me.
 

Deleted member 23212

User requested account closure
Banned
Oct 28, 2017
11,225
Miles Davis said:
Even a guy like me with a huge CD and bluray/uhd collection is digital for games. I just don't have the space, and don't care for the artwork much. Plus they are utterly useless to me.
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I'm the opposite. I don't care to collect movies and albums really since I only have space/money for one hobby and video games took precedence.
 
Aaron D.

Aaron D.

Member
Oct 25, 2017
9,338
With the way sales of physical books, magazines/newsprint, cds and dvd/blu-ray have completely cratered over the past decade, it's little wonder that the games industry is following suit.

People's habits regarding the delivery service of entertainment products has been turned on its head with the advent of digital media.

Seems like a completely natural evolution.

You can still buy physical media for most all entertainment sectors, but I imagine much like books & records it will be relegated to niche enthusiast circles over time.
 

Deleted member 23212

User requested account closure
Banned
Oct 28, 2017
11,225
Aaron D. said:
With the way sales of physical books, magazines/newsprint, cds and dvd/blu-ray have completely cratered over the past decade, it's little wonder that the games industry is following suit.

People's habits regarding the delivery service of entertainment products has been turned on its head with the advent of digital media.

Seems like a completely natural evolution.

You can still buy physical media for most all entertainment sectors, but I imagine much like books & records it will be relegated to niche enthusiast circles over time.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
I'd that that book sales are still pretty healthy, CDs took a massive hit though. The difference this time is that unlike with music when the industry was resisting the transition, the video game industry is actually trying to push digital sales.
 
Sloane Ranger

Sloane Ranger

Member
Oct 27, 2017
631
New Albany
I have bought a lot of digital this year - but only for Indy games not otherwise avail on disc. Also, I wonder if PS+ full game downloads are included in that study as they are "purchased"?
 
Terror-Billy

Terror-Billy

Chicken Chaser
Banned
Oct 25, 2017
2,460
When I owned a PS4, I had like 10 physical copies and 100 digital games. Now on my Xbox, I own like 20 physical and 480 digital. Digital is the future, for better or worse.
 
MoogleWizard

MoogleWizard

Member
Oct 27, 2017
2,707
Aaron D. said:
With the way sales of physical books, magazines/newsprint, cds and dvd/blu-ray have completely cratered over the past decade, it's little wonder that the games industry is following suit.

People's habits regarding the delivery service of entertainment products has been turned on its head with the advent of digital media.

Seems like a completely natural evolution.

You can still buy physical media for most all entertainment sectors, but I imagine much like books & records it will be relegated to niche enthusiast circles over time.
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Click to shrink...
Physical books are far from niche. Music, oth, is a very different story.
 
TheDarkKnight

TheDarkKnight

Member
Oct 25, 2017
7,554
When best buy and Amazon dropped their launch day discounts I didn't have any reason to stay with buying discs. I never trade in games and I never loan out games
 

Deleted member 2254

user requested account closure
Banned
Oct 25, 2017
21,467
This generation has been a turning point for me. Out of the hundreds of games I own on current-gen consoles, less than 30 are physical I think, and even most of those are promo copies or deals that were far better than digital could offer for many more months, like that time I bought some recently released Xbox One games for like 10 Euros a piece at a flash sale at Games Week in Milan or when I've found a GameStop that was closing forever that day and thus had every item with enormous sales. Other than that I avoid physical nowadays.
 
Rosebud

Rosebud

Two Pieces
Member
Apr 16, 2018
43,778
I bought some physical games on PS3 to save HD space.

On PS4 there's absolutely no reason.
 
Aaron D.

Aaron D.

Member
Oct 25, 2017
9,338
Oheao said:
I'd that that book sales are still pretty healthy, CDs took a massive hit though. The difference this time is that unlike with music when the industry was resisting the transition, the video game industry is actually trying to push digital sales.
Click to expand...
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Maybe there's some kind of resurgence that I'm unaware of, but all I've seen is mom & pop bookstores closing shop (a long time ago) and big retailers like Barnes & Noble downsizing in more recent years. There used to be like at least 10 B&N multi-level stores in the immediate DC metro area. Now there's only like 2 or 3 I think.
 
Shoshi

Shoshi

Banned
Jan 9, 2018
1,661
Best news!
Thanks to me getting a lot of discs stolen and rebuying those digitally. Finally got Ryu ga Gotoku Ishin Jpn Vers. on the PSN Asia sale!
 
LuisGarcia

LuisGarcia

Banned
Oct 31, 2017
3,478
Almost completely digital now. Only buy physical if I'm not sure about a game and may want to sell it.
 
Cactuar

Cactuar

Banned
Nov 30, 2018
5,878
Footos22 said:
Same with me. Dunno why I could of saved so much money lol
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I definitely realize I have not only spent more money, but also can not resale either. I have seen many offers of cheap physical games since I went digital only in 2016. I choose to look at it as though I pay a premium for the convenience of never having to swap discs, or never even needing a disc. It's a premium I'm willing to pay.
 
Voytek

Voytek

Member
Oct 25, 2017
5,829
Regardless of what the digital future cheerleaders might say I do not see this as good news.
 
Mass Effect

Mass Effect

One Winged Slayer
Member
Oct 31, 2017
16,838
It was inevitable. And this is why backwards compatibility will be so crucial going into next gen. It's a huge built-in advantage. People expect their digital purchases to carry over [to new versions of products] these days.
 
giancarlo123x

giancarlo123x

One Winged Slayer
Member
Oct 25, 2017
25,428
I've been all digital since my GCU expired in feburary. The only physical games I get are for my favorite series like team yakuza games.
 
Miles Davis

Miles Davis

Alt account
Banned
Jun 22, 2019
802
Oheao said:
I'm the opposite. I don't care to collect movies and albums really since I only have space/money for one hobby and video games took precedence.
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Well yeah I can see that. Getting shit to put this stuff on is a nuisance to me, especially steelbooks, which need heavily built shelves.
 
Fisty

Fisty

Member
Oct 25, 2017
20,291
I'm all in for digital... deep sales and convenience cant be beat. Roll on, PS5
 
Prefty

Prefty

Banned
Jun 4, 2019
887
Well, it was unavoidable, I will ride the physical train while it last tho, it just feels so good to look at my switch physical collection every time I go into my room
 
Nameless

Nameless

Member
Oct 25, 2017
15,398
People investing in the Playstation ecosystem at such a high rate bodes really fucking well for the PS5. Google and MS are being aggressive with their value propositions, but will it be enough to entice people to give up their games libraries, saves, PS+ collections, friends, peripherals etc..?
 
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