Survey Finds Physical Copies Still Make Up Nearly a Third of Paid Console Game Ownership

Predictions of physical games disappearing have circulated for years, but a new consumer survey suggests discs and cartridges still occupy a meaningful place in the libraries of dedicated players. Among the console games individually paid for by respondents, physical copies represented 30.4% of the games played during the survey period. That is a substantial share in an industry increasingly defined by digital storefronts, subscription catalogs, and free-to-play releases.

The findings come from a Newzoo study supported by G2A, based on responses from just over 6,000 people described as "premium gamers." The survey covered the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, Poland, Brazil, and Saudi Arabia, with respondents distributed evenly among those six markets. Fieldwork took place in August 2026.

For the study, premium gamers were adults aged 18 to 55 who play on PC or a ninth-generation console at least once a month. They also needed to have played AA or AAA games over the previous year through either an individual purchase or a paid subscription service, such as PlayStation Plus or Xbox Game Pass. It is an important definition because the results are not intended to represent every person who plays games, particularly audiences centered on mobile free-to-play titles or occasional gaming.

Physical's share changes depending on what is counted

The headline numbers need context. Across every game played by the surveyed group, physical titles accounted for 11%. That total includes all forms of access, and the study found that free-to-play games were the largest category at 38%. Individually owned games accounted for 43%, while subscription access represented 19%.

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Once the analysis is narrowed to games players purchased individually, rather than games accessed through subscriptions or free-to-play services, the picture shifts. Physical releases made up a little over 25.5% of owned games across the group. For console-focused players, the physical proportion rises further: respondents reported 14% physical against 32% digital when looking at total console ownership, and physical represented 30.4% when the comparison is limited to paid-for console games.

That distinction is central to understanding the results. The 11% figure does not mean physical media has only a small role among buyers. Rather, it shows how much the modern market has expanded beyond a simple physical-versus-digital purchase choice. Subscription services and free-to-play games now account for enormous portions of play time and game access, naturally reducing physical media's share of the total.

The average premium gamer in the survey played around 13.3 games per year. Within that mix, physical ownership can coexist with Game Pass, PlayStation Plus, digital purchases, and free-to-play staples. A player may use a subscription to sample a new release, download an ongoing multiplayer game at no upfront cost, and still buy favorite single-player titles on disc or cartridge.

Older games and Nintendo cartridges remain part of the equation

The survey notes that many physical games counted in the results were older releases. This matters because the study examines games played and owned, not merely newly released games purchased during a single period. A library built over years can preserve a much larger physical component than monthly sales data might suggest.

Some of the physical total may also include games sold as codes in a box, rather than a disc or cartridge containing the full game. Even so, Nintendo's continued use of cartridges on Switch remains a major part of the physical landscape. For Nintendo players, boxed games are still a familiar and widely available format rather than a niche alternative.

PC-only respondents reported 6% physical ownership. That is a smaller figure than on console, but it remains notable in a platform where digital distribution has dominated for decades. The study's focus on games owned and played may help explain it, as PC enthusiasts continue to support a retro and collector market built around older boxed releases, discs, and legacy formats. Digital storefronts that emphasize preservation and DRM-free purchases have also helped keep the conversation around long-term ownership alive on PC, even when the purchase itself is not physical.

Physical ownership was somewhat higher in the US and UK than the overall sample. Both markets recorded 12% physical ownership when all games played were counted. Looking specifically at owned physical and digital games, physical releases made up 27.9% in the US and 26.6% in the UK. Those figures reinforce the broader conclusion: physical media is no longer the default format, but it is far from absent among players who actively buy premium games.

Ownership remains a powerful motivation

The most revealing part of the research may be why people choose physical editions. Digital buyers tended to prioritize practical benefits such as immediate access, the portability of a digital library, digital discounts, and the fact that some games are released only digitally. Physical buyers, by comparison, spread their reasons across a broader set of concerns and preferences.

Among people who owned less than 75% of their libraries digitally, the leading reason for buying physical games was the ability to play without a stable internet connection. Close behind was a more emotional and philosophical reason: wanting to feel ownership of something tangible.

That feeling is about more than packaging. A disc or cartridge can be held, displayed, lent to a friend, traded in, or resold. It may offer a measure of independence from account systems, storefront rules, license changes, and availability decisions. Physical copies also appeal to players concerned about storage limits, especially as modern games continue to demand substantial internal drive space.

• Playing without reliable internet access
• Having a physical object that feels owned
• Saving storage space on the console or device
• Reselling, lending, or trading games
• Buying special editions with box art and extras
• Displaying a personal collection
• Guarding against games being removed, changed, or restricted
• Finding lower-priced pre-owned copies
• Avoiding large downloads and lengthy installations
• Playing without depending on a digital account or platform
• Taking advantage of retailer deals, store credit, or loyalty points
• Buying games during ordinary shopping trips

Not every physical release delivers all of these benefits. Many current games require major downloads, patches, online checks, or extra data even when bought on disc. But the format still offers options that a strictly digital ecosystem does not, particularly the ability to transfer a copy between people without relying entirely on a platform holder's account infrastructure.

An industry debate with no simple answer

The survey arrives amid renewed debate over the future of boxed console games. Sony's previously announced plan to end support for new physical games in January 2028 has intensified that discussion. The announcement drew sharply divided responses from creators, executives, retailers, collectors, and players.

Hideo Kojima has said he is deeply saddened by the prospect of discs being phased out. Kenzo Saruhashi, who leads JRPG publisher NIS, has argued that Sony is hearing feedback from customers during the continuing backlash. Meanwhile, original PlayStation creator Ken Kutaragi has defended the direction, describing resistance as a mentality issue and arguing that discs are not economically reasonable.

Those perspectives reflect competing realities. Digital distribution can reduce manufacturing, shipping, inventory, and retail costs. It can make games available instantly across huge territories and give publishers greater control over pricing, updates, and storefront presentation. For platform holders and publishers, the economics and operational simplicity of digital releases are difficult to ignore.

For consumers, however, the loss of physical media could remove a form of competition and flexibility. Used-game pricing, retail discounts, lending, trading, and resale all give players alternatives to a single platform storefront. Physical editions can also be especially valuable in regions with inconsistent broadband access or expensive download limits. The survey's emphasis on offline play, storage, and tangible ownership shows these are not merely collector concerns.

There is also a demographic angle. The research says older respondents were slightly more likely to buy games rather than use subscriptions and were also more likely to play from physical media. That does not mean younger players reject ownership, but it does suggest that subscription-first and free-to-play habits may continue to reshape the market over time.

Physical is smaller, but not irrelevant

Physical games no longer command the market in the way they once did. Free-to-play titles alone account for 38% of the games played by the surveyed premium audience, while subscriptions have become a significant route into premium releases. Digital convenience is real, and for many players it is the preferred way to buy and access games.

Yet a roughly 30% physical share among paid console games is a reminder that the format still serves practical, financial, and personal purposes. Players are not buying discs and cartridges solely because they dislike digital downloads. They are buying them because physical copies can provide offline access, a resale market, collection value, retailer choice, and a more concrete sense of possession.

As console makers and publishers decide how quickly to move away from packaged games, that remaining audience will be difficult to dismiss. Physical media may no longer be the center of gaming, but this survey indicates it is still an important part of how dedicated console players build and manage their libraries.