The Death of Physical Game Stores Was Inevitable—And Gamers Should Celebrate It

Let’s stop pretending: physical game stores were always going to die, and honestly, it’s for the best. The recent news that UK retailer Game is shutting down another store is just the latest nail in the coffin of an industry relic that has been struggling to stay relevant for years. Gamers love to wax nostalgic about midnight launches, browsing store shelves, and “owning” their games, but let’s be real—digital gaming is just better in every single way.

Think about it. When was the last time you actually needed to go to a store to buy a game? Thanks to Game Pass, PS Plus, and deep digital discounts, paying full price for a physical copy feels downright foolish. No scratched discs. No waiting in line. No cluttered shelves filled with cases you’ll never open again. Digital libraries are cleaner, cheaper, and more convenient, yet some gamers still act like the death of GameStop is some kind of tragedy.

And let’s not forget how bad game stores became. Overpriced used games, pushy employees upselling pre-orders, and shelves full of Funko Pops instead of actual games—these places lost their soul a long time ago. They refused to evolve, clinging to outdated sales models while the gaming industry moved forward. If you weren’t buying a game digitally, you were probably ordering it from Amazon anyway.

Collectors and retro enthusiasts will argue that physical games still have value, but they’re the minority. The truth is, most gamers have already moved on. With digital gaming, cloud services, and subscription models taking over, it’s only a matter of time before physical games are completely obsolete. We shouldn’t mourn the death of game stores—we should celebrate the evolution of gaming.