UK physical video game sales tumble as retail stalls

New market data shows physical video‑game sales in the United Kingdom have fallen about 26 percent so far this year, with some weeks seeing drops of up to 30 percent. The slump is forcing brick‑and‑mortar retailers to restructure; the British chain GAME has merged its headquarters and logistics with SportsDirect, reduced standalone store space and relegated games to a peripheral product category. The decline is uneven across platforms – Nintendo’s Switch still sees roughly 80 percent of its software sold on disc, while PlayStation and Xbox titles are now predominantly downloaded, with digital shares exceeding 50 percent. By 2028 the industry expects disc releases to cease for newer consoles.

Amid the broader downturn, the Switch 2 exclusive remake of Star Fox posted a surprisingly strong launch in the UK, selling roughly twice as many physical copies in its first week as the series’ previous entry on the Wii U and about 70 percent more than the 3DS version. The title topped the current UK charts, outpacing major releases such as EA Sports FC 26 and Cyberpunk 2077, illustrating that flagship single‑player titles can still drive notable physical sales despite the sector’s overall contraction.