Capcom noted this weekend that their sales are 80% digital. The Japanese publisher revealed this information in a shareholders’ meeting last June.
In a recently published document, Capcom engaged in an investor Q&A last June 17. One of the questions asked about their objectives for the digital sales ratio. A glaring figure came out of the woodwork, which is good news for the publisher.
According to the document, the company notes that its digital download ratio is at 80%. Their digital strategy at the moment is a goal of up to 90% in digital downloads. The ratio is growing steadily, which is a good sign for the company.
Physical video games are slowly dying
The slow death of the physical copy is a debated topic for so long. Many gamers are showing concern that Steam and online storefronts are killing physical games. The trend in the industry is making this a reality.
Consoles are slowly phasing out optical drives in their devices. PS5 will have a Digital Edition that will have zero optical disc drive in it. While Xbox Series X still opted in, it’s not unlikely for them to release a digital-only version soon.
The Nintendo Switch is still using cartridges, but it’s very reliant on digital sales. A ton of the games they sell come from the Nintendo e-Shop, especially during the pandemic.
Capcom Co. understands this trend and is doing its best to make its facilities more robust. So far, the 90% target is a conservative estimate. The company notes that there are people who want physical media, hence the remaining 10%.
Capcom Co jumped almost 30% in digital sales
Capcom’s move to digital is going faster than ever. Last year, the company noted as much as 53.3% in digital distribution. The 26.7% jump in only a year is magnificent.
So far, the company is also solidifying its move to digital. Monster Hunter World had a series of updates over the last few months. The reach of digital is so wide that MHW’s success comes from the fact that it’s many players’ first title.
The idea that World is people’s first Monster Hunter is curious. The first Monster Hunter came out in 2004, almost than 16 years ago. It also somehow helps that people are indoors due to the virus and can only make digital purchases.
Whatever happens, Capcom promises “to continue expanding our business performance by maximizing the benefits of digital sales, which include being able to provide our content both for longer periods of time and throughout the world.”
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