Physical disc-based copies of Resident Evil: Requiem on PlayStation consoles generated more revenue than all versions, digital and physical, on Xbox combined, according to a new report from Alinea Analytics analyst Rhys Elliot. The data highlights the continued strength of physical game sales, particularly for single-player titles, and a higher preference for physical media in Japan.
Elliot's estimates indicate that Resident Evil: Requiem sold 1.3 million physical copies, accounting for 15 percent of the game's total revenue and 30.2 percent of its PlayStation revenue. This physical PlayStation performance reportedly made 1.8 times more revenue than the game achieved across all platforms on Xbox.
Other single-player titles also show notable reliance on physical sales. For games like 007 First Light, Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced, and Crimson Desert, physical copies represent under 30 percent of their total sales, yet still contribute a significant portion of overall revenue. Wolverine, for instance, saw 800,000 of its 2.6 million sales come from physical copies, representing nearly a third of its total revenue.
Japan shows an even stronger affinity for physical game sales. First-party PlayStation titles and games with Japanese origins, such as those from Capcom, tend to have a larger proportion of their total sales derived from physical copies. Elliot suggests this is because physical games are more deeply ingrained in the culture there. For example, 44 percent of Pragmata's sales and 44.1 percent of Onimusha: Way of the Sword's sales were physical. Given Japan's contribution to these games' global sales figures, these regional habits significantly impact worldwide statistics.
This trend comes as Sony introduces initiatives like the digital-only, Japan-exclusive PS5 Black, priced at $350 with an optional $75 disc drive. Elliot interprets this move as an attempt to encourage Japanese consumers to transition to digital game purchases.
While physical sales for single-player games appear robust, the situation differs for sports titles. The current top-selling PlayStation sports game, FC 27, derives only 8.9 percent of its sales from physical copies. Nonetheless, the continued popularity of physical games on PlayStation is a significant factor in the backlash Sony has faced regarding its move toward a discless future. PlayStation founder Ken Kutaragi recently commented that discs had become a "metaphor for 'owning' games," suggesting that frustration over their discontinuation might be a "mentality issue." Despite such sentiments and ongoing player concerns, Sony has affirmed its commitment to phasing out physical media.