Nintendo Could Be the Last Major Console Maker Supporting Physical Games
The future of physical video games is looking more uncertain than ever. As the gaming industry continues its rapid shift toward digital downloads, subscriptions, and cloud-based access, many players are starting to ask the same question: how much longer will game discs and cartridges remain part of the console experience?
That conversation has grown louder following Sony’s reported plan to stop producing physical discs for new PlayStation games in 2028. The move has sparked fresh debate among collectors, retailers, and longtime console fans who still value boxed games on store shelves. With PlayStation moving further toward an all-digital future, attention has naturally turned to Xbox and Nintendo.
Neither Xbox nor Nintendo has made an official announcement about abandoning physical games. However, industry analyst Matt Piscatella, executive director at Circana, believes Nintendo may be the company most likely to keep some form of physical media alive the longest.
Speaking to VGC, Piscatella pointed to a trend that has been building for well over a decade. According to him, sales of new physical video games have declined every year since the late 2000s. That steady drop has made the industry’s digital transition feel less like a possibility and more like an inevitability.
Sony’s reported decision did not surprise him. Piscatella suggested that the end of physical disc production was always going to happen at some point, even if the timing of the announcement caught some people off guard. In his view, the gaming market has been moving in this direction for years, and the next console generation may accelerate the shift even further.
That could mean major changes for upcoming hardware. Piscatella said the decline in retail software sales may make it increasingly likely that future systems such as PlayStation 6 and Project Helix launch as digital-only consoles. If that happens, boxed games could become far less common across the industry, especially for platforms that have already trained much of their audience to buy games digitally.
Nintendo, however, may take a different path.
Piscatella believes Nintendo is unlikely to simply follow what Sony or Microsoft does. In his words, Nintendo tends to make its own decisions regardless of wider industry trends. That independent approach has often defined the company’s hardware strategy, from the Wii’s motion controls to the hybrid design of the Switch. For better or worse, Nintendo usually moves according to its own playbook.
That could make Nintendo the last major console maker to maintain a strong connection to physical games, even if the definition of “physical” changes over time. Traditional cartridges may continue in some form, but the market could also see more boxed products that contain download codes, digital key cards, collectible items, or special edition extras rather than full games stored on physical media.
Retailers may also play a major role in keeping Nintendo products visible. Piscatella noted that stores have increasingly leaned into Nintendo support over the past several years. That trend could continue if other console makers reduce their physical footprint. Even if shelves no longer carry as many traditional game cases, Nintendo boxes, accessories, merchandise, and collector’s editions could still occupy valuable retail space.
For gamers who enjoy collecting physical copies, this is both encouraging and bittersweet. On one hand, Nintendo may continue to offer something tangible in an era where digital storefronts dominate. On the other hand, the broader decline of physical game spending appears unlikely to reverse. More players are choosing digital purchases for convenience, faster access, pre-loading, and frequent online discounts.
The biggest concern for many fans is ownership. Physical games have long represented permanence. A disc or cartridge can be traded, resold, loaned to a friend, displayed on a shelf, or played years later without relying as heavily on a digital account. Digital games, while convenient, are tied to online ecosystems, licensing agreements, and storefront availability.
That is why Nintendo’s approach will be watched closely. If the company continues to support physical releases for its future hardware, it could appeal strongly to collectors and traditional console buyers. At the same time, Nintendo will still have to balance manufacturing costs, publisher preferences, retail demand, and the growing popularity of digital purchases.
For now, physical games are not disappearing overnight. Store shelves may change, and boxed releases may increasingly include codes or extra merchandise, but the transition will likely happen gradually. Still, the direction of the industry is clear: digital distribution is becoming the default.
If Sony moves away from new physical discs and Xbox follows a similar strategy, Nintendo may eventually stand alone as the last major console brand with a meaningful physical presence. Whether that means full cartridges, digital key cards, or collector-focused boxed editions, Nintendo could become the final stronghold for players who still want something they can hold in their hands.
