Research by trade body ERA reveals that 9 in 10 video games that were sold in the United Kingdom last year were digital.

The Digital Entertainment and Retail Association (ERA) shared its annual report of 2022, with an array of insights into the video game industry in the United Kingdom. The sector was observed as the country’s most lucrative, with revenue reported to be approximately €5.25 billion (£4.66 billion). This is an apparent increase of 2.3% when compared to figures from 2021. 

Digital sales of video games amounted to approximately €4.69 billion (£4.17 billion) in 2022, which was a 3.1% increase from 2021. However, physical sales were reportedly down by 4.5% from 2021, with sales at around €549.43 million (£488 million).

Such figures represent the shifting attitude of consumers away from purchasing video games products at brick-and-mortar stores, or from online retailers, and instead prioritising downloading games via console or personal computer. 

Console downloads were observed to be the high performer among types of video game platforms, with sales up reportedly 12.2% to a value of approximately €815.93 million (£724.7 million). Meanwhile mobile and tablet games increased by 3.2% to a value of approximately €1.67 billion (£1.48 billion).

“Gaming remains the often-unheralded leader of the entertainment market,” said ERA CEO Kim Bayley.  “While growth at 2.3% was lower than that of video or music, its scale is enormous and in terms of innovation and excitement it continues to set the pace for the entire entertainment sector.”

The highest-selling video game in the United Kingdom in 2022 was FIFA 23, with 2.39 million units sold across both digital and physical formats.