There’s no denying that the video game industry has had many “shifts in focus” over the decades. For example, when video games first came out, they weren’t something everyone wanted or played at home. The arcade boom helped bring people into the industry in more ways than one and helped spark the first console boom. Then came the crash of 1983 that Nintendo saved via the NES/Famicom. As time went on, video games got more advanced, came in handheld forms, and more. But now, via UK super chain Tesco, we’re seeing the repercussions of yet another shift in focus.
Specifically, as noted by VGC, Tesco will “allow” the current stock of its video games to sell out, and then, they’ll be done with boxed games. That’s right, this store, which apparently has over 2800 facilities, won’t sell physical video games anymore. Why? Because, according to them, their customers are focusing on “digital entertainment.”
That might seem like an overreaction, but is it? Think about it. Plenty of people prefer to have their games digitally instead of having cartridges or disks alongside the containers they come in.
Many websites get digital review copies, making it easier to keep things to maintain and use. Then, there are things like Xbox Game Pass, where people can download any number of high-end and classic titles on a whim for a low monthly fee. That’s not even counting PS Plus and the Nintendo eShop.
If you think about it, stores used to be the “grand hub” of the video game space as they were “the place” to get the new copies on launch day. However, things have shifted with the growth of things like Amazon and the booming digital marketplace.
That’s not to say that physical video games will “die out” soon. It’s not that simple. Plenty of people prefer the “physical space” versus the digital one. It’s a similar thing with comic books despite the numerous digital services for those books.
But in terms of stores, it’s unsurprising that they’re heavily weening back on their physical game stock. If you think about your local store, ask yourself how it’s changed over the last several years. Has it remained the same size? Has it gotten smaller? Speaking for us, we’ve seen places, where we used to buy games every month, go from a massive section to barely there.
Only time will tell how far this “shift” will go.
