GAME denies reports of ending physical sales amid market changes

Image: AVM Images/​Shutterstock

With the video game industry increasingly moving toward a ‘digital-only’ enterprise, there has been some rumor and speculation building lately that video game retailers, such as GAME, could potentially stop selling physical video games altogether in the near future.

Reports have been circulating that GAME is getting ready to make changes to its business model and start only selling physical game units and hardware devices through its website, with pre-orders, deliveries, and in-store collections also being available.

However, gamers will be glad to know – especially those collectors out there – that since the report was released, GAME has already responded and the UK’s largest gaming retailer has stated that the information is false and that the reporting was not true.

The company has assured its customers that it will remain faithful in its commitment to the physical game market and will continue to provide the full extent of physical game availability, including all the hardware, software, gift cards, and collectibles too, all of which will remain available both in-store and on its website.

However, even with GAME’s statement of commitment to the physical gaming industry, the marketplace is mostly outside its control and it might just be a matter of time before we start to see some serious changes to how gamers buy their games.

These changes are actually already well underway and some shifts in GAME’s business practices this year are proof of it. For example, GAME started to terminate its trade-in and pre-owned sales side of the business in January, and earlier this month ceased its Xbox All Access program and loyalty reward schemes.

The video game retailer has stated on several occasions that, if need be, it is willing to be the ‘last man standing’ when it comes to selling physical games and believes there will always be a place for physical games, whether it comes in the form of gaming memorabilia similar to that of a vinyl record store, or in collectors and limited-edition releases.

With that said, a time could be fast approaching when gamers are no longer able to buy physical copies of games and will have to rely solely on digital copies saved on their console or PC’s hard drive.

What do you think? Is this another sign that the golden age of gaming is now over? Or is downloading games directly to your console with zero hassle and manufacturing costs evidence that gaming is progressing and evolving in the right direction?