Should You Buy Physical Games or Digital Titles from SimplyGames?

Updated

SimplyGames is a UK entertainment retailer that, based on its own site content, lists physical products: game discs for PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PS4, Xbox One, Switch and Switch 2, plus consoles, accessories, and music, film and trading-card items. Its listings show pre-orders and edition variants (for example, Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis Day One Edition at £44.95 and a Deluxe Edition at £51.95, alongside Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 at £64.95 and Grand Theft Auto VI at £69.85). If you want a disc you can lend, trade in or keep on a shelf, SimplyGames is set up for that; if you want to start playing at midnight without waiting for a courier, a digital storefront is the more direct route. The site's published offer includes free next-working-day tracked delivery on orders over £80.00, and PayPal is listed as a payment option.

What SimplyGames actually sells

The catalogue is organised around hardware generations and physical media:

  • Games: PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PS4, Xbox One, Switch and Switch 2 titles, including pre-orders for unreleased games.
  • Hardware and accessories: consoles and accessories for the same platforms, plus PlayStation VR.
  • Other media: music on CD, vinyl and cassette; TV and film on 4K UHD, Blu-ray and DVD; trading cards, board games and jigsaws.
  • Console recycling: a help-section link suggests a trade-in route for old hardware.

The site describes itself as trading since 1998 and cites MCV "Best Online Games Retailer" awards in 2013 and 2014, with top-five nominations in 2015–2017. Those claims come from SimplyGames' own page, so treat them as the retailer's account rather than independent verification.

Physical vs digital: the trade-offs that matter

Consideration Physical from SimplyGames Digital
Delivery Free next-working-day tracked delivery over £80.00; otherwise delivery timing and cost are not stated on the page Immediate, no shipping
Resale and lending Possible with a disc, subject to the retailer's terms Generally not possible
Pre-order editions Day One and Deluxe variants are listed with distinct prices Edition availability varies by storefront
Shelf space and collection Takes space; suits collectors No physical space
Payment PayPal listed; other methods not confirmed on the page Depends on the storefront

The £80 threshold is the key practical detail: a single new release at £64.95–£69.85 falls short, so bundling a game with an accessory or a second title is what unlocks the free tracked delivery. The page does not state what delivery costs below that threshold, so check at checkout before assuming.

How to choose a version on a listing

Edition differences are visible in the product names and prices. Using the Tomb Raider example, the Day One Edition is £44.95 and the Deluxe Edition (Xbox) is £51.95 — a £7 gap for content the listing does not spell out on the page. Before paying the difference:

  1. Open the product page and read the description for what the Deluxe or Day One edition includes.
  2. Compare that content against the standard edition price if one is listed.
  3. For pre-orders, confirm the release date and whether the price is fixed at order or charged at dispatch — the page does not state this, so ask customer service via the FAQ/Contact link.

A "Day One" label usually signals launch-window stock rather than extra content, but confirm on the listing rather than assuming.

When physical from SimplyGames makes sense

  • You want to resell or lend the game after finishing it.
  • You are buying a console bundle or several items and can cross £80 for free tracked delivery.
  • You collect specific editions or physical media (4K UHD, vinyl) that digital stores do not carry.
  • You are pre-ordering a major release and are comfortable waiting for a courier on release day rather than playing at midnight.

When digital is the better fit

  • You want to play immediately, especially for multiplayer launches with friends.
  • You buy many small titles where shipping cost and wait outweigh resale value.
  • You have no interest in storing discs or consoles.

Practical checks before ordering

  • Confirm the platform: the same title appears across PS5, Xbox and Switch listings at different prices; match the version to your console.
  • Check stock status: "Pre-Order" and "Buy Now" indicate different fulfilment paths.
  • Verify the delivery promise: the free tracked service applies over £80.00, and the asterisk on the site suggests conditions — read the delivery terms linked from the help section.
  • Keep order records: for pre-orders, save the confirmation email in case release dates shift.

SimplyGames is a physical-games retailer first. If your priority is a disc in hand, a collectible edition, or a bundle that clears the free-delivery threshold, it fits the job. If your priority is instant access, buy digital — and use SimplyGames for the hardware, accessories and physical media it specialises in.