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GameStop: Digital Downloads Make Up Only 5% of AAA Game Sales

S

SMattera

Member
From their earnings call yesterday:

Slide 7 shows some key statistics based on DFC data which analyzes the AAA games sold in 2014. You can see that DFC estimates that of the total number of AAA videogames sold last year 12% were downloaded and 88% were physical. Of the 12% downloaded, it is estimated that 60% were given away in hardware bundles, that means about 5% of AAA titles were downloads, but were actually paid for by consumers. DFC estimates that full game downloads of AAA titles paid for by consumers made up only 2% of the total physical and digital software market.
Click to expand...

In other words, if you exclude PS+, GWG, and free digital games, 95% of games are still sold on disc. Personally, I'm a little skeptical, and would like to see DFC's methodology, but it's interesting nonetheless.

EDIT: Just to be clear, this is supposed to be for the entire industry at large. NOT just GameStop's sales.
 
F

Freedom = $1.05

Banned
I can't bring myself to pay $60 for a digital game. I don't mind the occasional $60 for a physical copy because i can always sell it down the line and recover some of the costs.

I do buy AAA games digitally when they're on sale, though. Got Diablo 3 for $30 and BF4 Premium for ~$25 not too long ago.
 
T

The End

Member
I'm very curious if "AAA" includes every game that has a physical release on the new-gen consoles or just every game GameStop chooses to define as AAA.
 
M

Mass_Pincup

Banned
They're obviously only talking about consoles. You just have to take a look at Ubisoft or EA financial reports to see that it is much more overall.
 
K

Kai Dracon

Writing a dinosaur space opera symphony
I mean, wouldn't people who buy most games at Gamestop tend to be part of the "buy it, beat it, sell it a week later" demographic? Gamestop seems to have plenty of used copies of most big games one or two weeks after release.

Makes sense such customers would stick to discs, as they never keep games.
 
M

Manmademan

Member
Sinatar said:
It only takes into account things they sell. So digital code cards and the shambling corpse of Impulse that they keep going.
Click to expand...

I'm positive this is the case. Sony and Microsoft are known for keeping exactly how much they sell on PSN and Live fairly close to the chest.
 
S

Saty

Member
Well, that's a DFC estimation that's Gamestop would prefer to use as they are a retail business.
On the other hand, official numbers from 2-3 of the big publishers peg the DD share of XB1\PS4 titles in their first weeks at ~15-20% max.
 
JohnnyFootball

JohnnyFootball

GerAlt-Right. Ciriously.
I have a very hard time believing this is actually true. I seriously doubt MS or Sony would share digital revenue and such with Gamestop or any vendor for that matter.
 
G

Gestault

Member
This seems at odds with, at the very least, Nintendo's sales breadown on popular 3DS games. I understand there are some other factors, and many games are physical only, but I don't think GameStop's assessment is a meaningful one. And this from someone who prefers physical in most cases.
 
P

Pryce

Member
They're never going to outsell disc's until they actually costs the same as discs. Most digital games on the PSN store stay full price far after they've been on sale on Amazon 10 times.
 
P

pixlexic

Banned
I don't believe you GIF

Remember this is from game stop. Who's very survival depends on how long consoles don't go all digital.
 
O

Occam

Member
You can sell, loan or give away physical console games.
Digital games on the other hand deprive you of your basic property rights. It makes sense to buy as few as possible.
 
S

SliceSabre

Banned
At $60 I just refuse to spend that much money on a digital game for my PS4. For that much money I want to be able to touch the thing I am purchasing or sell it if I do not wish to own it anymore.

At certain price points I'm willing to go digital like I picked up Shadow of Mordor when it was $24 on PSN.
 
K

kevin1025

Banned
This might be some sneaky way of showing their relevance by saying that digital downloads from their push of codes and season passes only made up 5% of their sales. That way, their need in the industry and the need for physical sticks around so they don't go out of business.
 
A

Alcoholikaust

Member
Ouren said:
If I'm buying a $60 thing, I want the damn disc.
Click to expand...

there are numerous ways to get games cheaper than retail cost on release-both digital and physical copies. I havent spend more than $53 on a new day 1 release since last fall. You just have to know where to look.
 
G

Goldenroad

Member
I could see that. I'll only buy a AAA game digitally if it is so cheap that there is no way I'd ever be able to get it at retail for that cheap. Basically under $10 is when I'll start buying AAA games digitally, and that usually doesn't happen for years after the game is released, and by that time it's got to be a pretty unique game for me to still care about playing. I remember paying $5 for Dark Souls on 360 a couple christmas's ago.

Physical games I can re-sell, digital I can not, so basically unless that value proposition for digital is out of this world, I'll still go physical.
 
BadAss2961

BadAss2961

Member
pixlexic said:
I don't believe you GIF

Remember this is from game stop. Who's very survival depends on how long consoles don't go all digital.
Click to expand...
I don't believe it either. How'd they get Sony/MS/Nintendo's digital sales numbers? I was under the impression those were hard to come by.
 
J

Jonnax

Member
Andodalf said:
Why do you demand something that can break or be lost, and you be unable to play the game? The digital game cannot be misplaced, and cannot break.
Click to expand...

What is the scenario where a disk breaks? I've never had that happen to me. Also you can forget your password, get phished, or have the network shutdown with digital.
 
G

Gestault

Member
Andodalf said:
Why do you demand something that can break or be lost, and you be unable to play the game? The digital game cannot be misplaced, and cannot break.
Click to expand...

Because it takes a physical act to do that, which is generally under the control of its owner. It can also be sold, resold and shared very easily. They aren't tied to a service or single account. They can be purchased at a discount, and they can be purchased using trade-in credits at many stores. Even at normal pricing, they tend to be demonstrably less expensive outside of the launch window.
 
P

pixlexic

Banned
Jonnax said:
What is the scenario where a disk breaks? I've never had that happen to me. Also you can forget your password, get phished, or have the network shutdown with digital.
Click to expand...

360s "don't bump the console or your disk is fucked" claimed a few of my games.
 
P

Primethius

Banned
Aren't these just figures related to Gamestop itself and not the larger console market?

In that context, the numbers make sense.
 
R

_Ryo_

Member
I think this is a good thing. I really dislike Digital only (except for GoG where I can burn my copy to disc and preserve it . Steam's alight as well.)

Too bad indies don't have more physical releases though, but it's understandable why they don't.
 
F

flaxknuckles

Member
Makes sense if they are only talking about their storefront. I only buy the occasional PC game that goes on sale there and I don't know who would buy a digital console game from them instead of just using PSN, Xbox Live, or Amazon.
 
thelastword

thelastword

Banned
I don't believe this at all, there was a recent study which painted the sales of digital downloads in a much better light, this is gamestop afterall, so anything to boost their business is fair game to them.
 
A

alexandros

Banned
I see a lot of people are having trouble believing these numbers. Why? There are no good reasons to buy digital versions of your games on console.
 
S

SMattera

Member
koshunter said:
Aren't these just figures related to Gamestop itself and not the larger console market?

In that context, the numbers make sense.
Click to expand...

No, it's supposed to represent the entire console market.

I'm not surprised that it's low, but this is much lower than I expected. Electronic Arts, Activision, Take Two and Nintendo have all, at various times, put the percentage of their full game console downloads at around 10-20%.
 
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