PlayStation's recent updates to its online check-in requirements for digital games have provided what GameStop seems to see as the perfect fuel for an ad campaign to get customers into its stores. The PlayStation brand has upset a large portion of its player base with its online check-ins, and GameStop's solution to buy more physical games could have some merit.
The sale of physical games hit a record low in 2025, as digital downloads continue the takeover of the industry that has been mounting for years on end. Reputable analyst Mat Piscatella of Circana found that annual spending on physical games had fallen by 11 percent when compared to 2024, with customers in the United States spending $1.5 billion on physical games, which is the lowest amount recorded since analysts began following the trend in 1995.
PlayStation recently added new DRM for digital PS4 and PS5 purchases, causing controversy among owners of Sony's flagship consoles.
The largest video game retail chain in the world, GameStop, now seems to be trying to turn that trend around with a new advertisement that takes aim specifically at the PlayStation brand. Showing a PS5 unit with a piece of masking...
