For years, the writing has seemed to be on the wall for physical video games. Digital downloads have steadily eaten away at retail shelves, collectors have become a niche audience, and major publishers have increasingly prioritized convenience over preservation. But if you thought boxed games were nearing their end, Nintendo is saying otherwise.
According to new data from Circana, U.S. spending on physical video games increased year-over-year for the first time since 2009, climbing 3% to roughly $1.6 billion over the 12 months ending in May 2026. That’s a milestone that hasn’t been seen in nearly two decades – and it’s almost entirely thanks to the Nintendo Switch 2.
Industry analyst Mat Piscatella noted that Nintendo’s latest console has driven a roughly 26% increase in physical software sales across Nintendo platforms. While physical sales on PlayStation and Xbox continue to decline by double-digit percentages, Switch 2 owners are still showing up at retailers to grab cartridges.
The timing couldn’t be more interesting.
Just days ago, Sony got in its own way again and announced that beginning in 2028, all new first-party PlayStation releases will abandon physical discs entirely in favor of digital-only distribution, making it the first major console manufacturer to officially walk away from physical game releases.
Sure, physical games may never return to their 2009 glory days, but Switch 2 has proven there’s still plenty of life left in boxed releases when players are given a reason to own them. In an era where much of the industry is sprinting toward an all-digital future, Nintendo continues to remind everyone that sometimes the old ways still have a few extra hearts left.
