Digitization of video games: is the end of the disc imminent?

We thought the topic was reserved for collectors: it now concerns all gamers. The shift to digital games is no longer an emerging trend, it’s become the norm. In France, the share of physical sales fell from 21% in 2019 to just 12% in 2024, according to the Syndicat des éditeurs de logiciels de loisirs (SELL). And the acceleration continued into 2026, driven by cloud gaming and consoles designed primarily for digital use. A quick overview of what is really changing, boxed or not.

Physical discs, a share that is shrinking year after year

The industry’s figures leave little room for doubt. Where physical media still represented one-fifth of sales five years ago, it now accounts for barely more than one-tenth. The shift is particularly pronounced on console: in its report published in April 2026, SELL indicates that 80% of PlayStation games were sold in digital form during the 2025 fiscal year. In other words, downloading is now the default choice for players.

This shift is weakening a whole segment of specialist retail. Stores that made their living selling boxed products and used games see their model disrupted, a trend that the release of very big anticipated titles does not always make up for. For the general public, the consequence is simple: finding a recent game on the shelf is becoming, little by little, the exception rather than the rule.

Xbox tests free cloud gaming… funded by advertising

An illustration of this ‘all-online’ logic: Microsoft launched at the end of July 2026 a test of free cloud gaming funded by advertising, open to members of the Xbox Insider program. The principle: stream and play, without a subscription, the titles you already own. In return, about two minutes of advertising are broadcast before each session, and playtime is capped at one hour per session.

For now it’s a test, and access remains optional: other ways to play remain available. But the signal is clear. After subscription models like Game Pass, the advertising model is making its entrance into video games, as it did earlier in music and video. It remains to be seen, in the coming months, whether players will accept this compromise between free access and commercial breaks.

What the shift to digital practically means for you

Beyond the statistics, this shift has very concrete effects on everyday experience:

• Immediate access: no more trips or shipping costs, the game starts as soon as the download finishes.
• Question of ownership: when buying a digital game, you primarily acquire a license to use it, not an object you can freely lend or resell.
• Network dependence: cloud gaming requires a stable and fast connection, which remains uneven across regions.
• Preservation: the disappearance of an online catalogue can make a title hard to find, whereas a cartridge or disc remains playable.

Common misconceptions and areas of concern

First misconception: “physical media is dead.” That’s false, or at least premature. The format still has convinced devotees, notably for the second-hand market, collectors and lending among friends. However, its place in the market is shrinking year after year, and nothing indicates a return to the past. The real point of concern is therefore not the speed of the shift to digital games, but its conditions: the right to resell, the longevity of libraries and transparency about what you’re actually buying. All questions of everyday consumer matters that go far beyond the sole sphere of leisure, and join the broader debates in the high-tech sector.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I really own a digital game?

Not in the sense of a physical object. You buy an access license, governed by the platform’s terms of use. It authorizes playing, but rarely resale or free lending, unlike a boxed copy that you can give away or gift.

Will Xbox’s free cloud gaming replace buying games?

Nothing indicates that for now. It’s an optional test, limited in session duration and funded by advertising. It’s an additional entry point to gaming, not a replacement for existing models.

Should you still buy games in physical form?

It depends on your priorities. Physical media remains relevant for resale, collecting, or limited connectivity. Digital, meanwhile, bets on immediacy and frequent promotions. The two approaches still coexist, but the balance clearly tips toward the latter.

Sources

• SELL — The Essentials of Video Games, French market report (April 2026)
• Next — Xbox tests free cloud gaming funded by advertising
• jeuxvideo.com — GTA 6 is bad news for video game stores: worrying figures provided by employees