Digital sales up 16 percent in 2012

The NPD group has released some interesting numbers about US video games sales in 2012. While physical sales were down 21%, digital sales increased by an impressive 16 percent. Digital content in this instance meaning “full game and add-on content downloads, subscriptions, mobile games and social network games.”

[stickskills]

I think we'll see things move in this direction more and more each year.

[kefkah]

Especially with the next gen consoles pushing digital content rather than physical.

[Thatguy-310]

Life has so much going on that most ppl don't have time to go out and buy a game at retail. Honestly digital distribution will take the lead slowly

[Hicken]

So does this hint at gaming doing better than people thought?

[givemeshelter]

I said this many times before and got BLASTED on this very site for saying it.
Some people despise hearing the truth on this site.
All you have to do is follow the money and see why DD will eventually sooner, rather than later take over. Like it or not it's going to happen. Developers and publishers will go the cheaper route...ALWAYS like ANY business.

[GribbleGrunger]

It's a fact I'm afraid. I'm not too keen on the idea myself but the writing is 'almost' on the wall. Once the split between Retail and online distribution hits 50% they'll push Download hard, and then when DD hits 70% they'll push to make it the only way of getting games.

[KrisButtar]

i agree with you but i dont see it happening anytime in the near future. i dont know about other countries but 30% of canadians dont have internet as its not offered in areas, also many canadians still have dail-up for a connection. i myself only have internet when im out as its not offered where i bought my house, likely wont be for about 5yrs or more

[givemeshelter]

I heard this before. When I first talked about Digital Distribution I received the same responses 3 years ago how "far" off or "Not happening in the near future" this was. Now look how fast companies are adopting this model just a short 3 years later. 5 Years from now you will see a massive shift in this area and also cloud gaming.
I don't like it as I am a traditionalist, however I am no fool and this is the direction the games industry is moving... and it's moving FASTER then most want to believe.

[rainslacker]

While you may be right, what your ignoring is that this increase isn't necessarily all from game sales. It includes subscriptions(MMO fees, add-on content, possibly MS live, PS+, etc), DLC(which has been pushed harder and harder each year, mobile games(which is huge, though individual titles tend to be cheap), and social network games(such as zynga). The actual retail decrease was from game sales only. Without the actual new digital(ie. full games) being separated from the equation I think you are possibly jumping the gun saying it's coming sooner than people say.

Much of the rest of your statement though does hold merit.

What's concerning and more newsworthy is the 9% decrease in content spending overall. No matter the distribution method, if sales go down then there is a problem for the people that make and publish games. The reasons are likely numerous, but it's been an ongoing trend for the past few years.

Edit: by reading the other posts on here it's pretty obvious most people don't really see what these numbers mean, and just want to use it as a means to say DD is the future. This is one where you have to read the article and really dissect the information...it isn't written up like some crappy agenda based article to incite fanboy discussion. The article doesn't even take a side, just posts information.

[SP3333D-O]

DD is great! DRM not so much. I want to be able to play if my connection is down, and I don't want my games to "expire."

[CommonSenseGamer]

Seems like more and more of us don't care about second hand sales. Personally if the DD is priced right I will download over buying on disc when there is an option. However, at present both Sony and MS charge far too much for DD retail game. It should not be cheaper for me to import a game from half way round the world than it is to buy from PS Store or Marketplace.

By the way Hicken, you're on my ignore list so even though I can see you reply to my comments they don't display unless I click on them. Personally you have nothing useful to say so I don't. Feel free to comment but really, you're wasting your time if you think I give a damn about your opinion.

[LeoDDestroyer]

I used to feel that way but recently I have changed on that front because by downloading content on psn I can share it with my brothers. When I visit them they will have the game as well but this is only for games I really care for.