Sorry if this is an oft discussed topic but when I was in Game yesterday I was really shocked at the lack of PC games they had for sale. 2 shelves were allocated and one was old 'hidden object' type games. I saw they had the box for Dead Island special edition but not the regular so asked the guy. He said they had it in the back (not out for display) and it was ￡39.99 (the RRP and ￡10 more expensive than Amazon or Steam) so I said I wouldn't bother.

What surprised me though was the total lack of PC games at all. There were as many PS2, Gamecube and PSP games as PC games. Is it declining in general use or are PC games just not as financially viable to sell to customers from game shops anymore? I noticed this in Walmart too when I was just in the states. I had to ask a guy where the PC games were and he pointed to a single shelf whereas they had aisles and aisles of PS3 and Xbox games...

Digital Distribution has eaten physical game sales by a huge chunk.

I noticed that probably for about the last 3-4 years, the amount of PC games on display in even the biggest stores has really gone down, last week i tried to get a copy of WoW lich king from my local high street, and after going to 3 different stores was completely unsuccessful in getting a copy, they are only stocking the most up to date games, wheras online you can buy a long lost classic for a couple of quid, or even order the new ones for cheaper than the stores.

Customers are faced with the following options - spend less online for a game and have it delivered to your door, or take some hours out of your time to physically go to a store that has infinitely less choice and pay more for a game, assuming of course they even have it in stock which these days is unlikely unless it is the very newest of games, if they don't have your game in stock, then it's a wasted journey, i can see why the stores just can't compete with regard to PC games.

It's kind of sad really, because i used to enjoy going to stores buy games, but the last few times i went was just frustrating, they didn't have what i wanted and i left empty handed.

The only place I have seen a good amount of PC games on display is at stores like Target or Walmart. Unfortinately all the games are childing and an armada of medival-era rts clones.