New research from G2A.COM, the world's largest marketplace for digital entertainment, shows that consumers value choice above all else when it comes to purchasing major video game releases. A survey of more than 2,000 G2A.COM marketplace users found that preferences around major AAA releases are highly diverse, with 38% preferring digital downloads and 37% choosing physical discs for a title like Grand Theft Auto VI (GTA VI). The remaining 25% expressed no preference or did not plan to buy the game.
Rather than signaling a competition between physical and digital formats, the findings point to a broader consumer expectation: people increasingly want entertainment to adapt to their individual preferences, rather than their choices being determined for them. This shift has significant implications for how games are marketed and sold. For G2A.COM, it reflects a wider transformation in digital commerce where consumers expect broad selection, competitive offers, multiple payment methods, and the freedom to decide what creates the most value for them.
The survey uncovered several key insights that underscore the importance of consumer choice. Nearly half of respondents (47%) said they would be less likely to buy a full-priced AAA title at launch if only one purchasing format was available. Additionally, 69% indicated that the ability to resell, trade, or lend games influences their decision when purchasing full-priced titles. Collectability also plays a role, with 59% stating that additional elements associated with physical editions, such as steelbooks or art books, could sway their purchasing decision.
The market continues to evolve, with 34% of respondents expecting physical games to become primarily a niche collector proposition within five years, while 23% believe physical discs will be nearly phased out for new releases. Concerns about game preservation remain part of the wider conversation, as 77% expressed some level of concern about long-term game preservation in an increasingly digital market, with 58% describing themselves as very concerned.
These findings are particularly striking given the strongly digital profile of respondents: 70% primarily play on PC, an ecosystem where digital distribution has long been the standard. This reinforces an important distinction: being a digital-first consumer does not necessarily mean wanting fewer choices. On the contrary, as consumers become more accustomed to digital commerce, their expectations around selection, flexibility, accessibility, and control continue to grow.
The results come amid exceptional global interest in GTA VI across G2A.COM. Marketplace data previously showed traffic to GTA VI-related pages on G2A.COM rising 65-fold during a major surge in interest in June. Momentum continued into July, which alone accounted for 48% of all GTA VI-related traffic recorded on the marketplace between January and July. GTA VI also became G2A.COM's most wishlisted game in 45 countries, highlighting the extraordinary global anticipation surrounding the release.
GTA VI is shaping up to be one of the most anticipated gaming releases of this decade, but even at this level of hype, players still approach major purchases pragmatically. The findings suggest the excitement alone does not override considerations such as flexibility, price, and choice. This reinforces the importance of giving consumers access to a broad range of offers and allowing them to choose the option that best fits their needs.
"GTA VI shows that the games market is entering a new phase of digital maturity. For players, speed and convenience are no longer the only priorities – they also want the freedom to choose and greater control over how they access and use the content they buy," said Katarzyna Jakubiec, Chief Business Officer at G2A.COM. "Digital formats deliver immediacy and accessibility, while physical editions can still offer additional value to some players through collectability, resale and a greater sense of control. Our research suggests that the future of the market is not about one model replacing another, but about giving players the flexibility to choose what works best for them."
For marketplaces such as G2A.COM, the opportunity is not to prescribe a single model of consumption, but to continue expanding the possibilities available to consumers. The future of digital entertainment is not about limiting choice—it is about multiplying it. A press kit with further details is available at https://bit.ly/future-of-games-retail-press-kit.
