67% of All Game Sales In 2020 Were Digital As Covid Influences Our Buying Habits

The best selling games list for 2020 has been published. And it features a lot of familiar names. But surprisingly, the list that is made up of (mostly) digital and physical sales combined, also holds another secret – that being, that 67 percent of all game sales last year were digital. That’s up 15 percent from the 2019 figure, and deals another mighty blow to physical. But it’s hardly surprising considering Covid; many stores were shut, making the download an easier choice than having to wait for the mail.
Still, the way it has influenced our buying habits could be with us longer than the virus. And that is a threat to the physical market.

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It wasn’t all bad news for physical sales, however, as they were up too – by two percent, no less. Something that comforts me, at least. But that is nothing when you consider more than two thirds of all sales in the UK – over two thirds of the 42.7 million sales – were online. It’s like Jack growing an inch whilst the beanstalk climbs another 10 metres.
Away from that fact comes the other news that the PlayStation 5 managed to become the second best console of the year, despite suffering from a great shortage at launch. Plus, the PlayStation 4 was third best selling console as well. Finally, the DualShock 4 was crowned most sold gaming accessory, which rounds off quite the achievement for Sony. However, Nintendo and the Switch claimed the top spot, which just goes to show there’s still life in the handheld machine yet.
Perhaps the Vita 2 could still see the light of day? Here’s hoping…
Now, before we get to the table of best selling games, which you will find below, I’ll just take the opportunity to point out that Bethesda and Nintendo refuse to share their digital sales numbers, so any of their games included are there on physical numbers alone; Cyberpunk 2077 also breaks into the top twenty on physical sales alone. But without much further ado…