If you’re like me and still hold onto the romantic ritual of going to a local store to pick up a brand-new game in its physical form, unboxing it on your way home, and sliding the disc into your console, you might want to savor those moments while you still can.
For years, the gaming community has been watching the gradual decline of physical media, feeling like a complete relic of the past in an era dominated by instantaneous digital downloads. However, some shocking new data just dropped, giving physical software preservationists a sudden glimmer of hope – though you definitely shouldn’t start popping the champagne just yet.
The Decades-Old Trend Finally Breaks
According to a new report from tracking firm Circana, a market research company that tracks consumer spending across the United States, physical video game sales in the US actually grew by 3%, reaching a total of $1.6 billion over the 12-month period ending in May 2026.
If you glance over at the official chart data provided by the research, you will notice that this marks the first time the industry has seen year-on-year growth in physical software consumer spending since 2009! Here, take a look:...
