Unlike last year, local game shops have been getting creative to keep the lights on. Many have pivoted to stocking affordable merchandise and gacha items, effectively luring in foot traffic with low-cost collectables. This trend persisted throughout the dry spell of August, only for the gears to shift when the release train finally pulled into the station in September.

Checking in on retailers this October, the momentum from high-profile IP releases and remakes shows no signs of slowing down. While niche titles like Dragon Quest and the Tales of series have their place, the real heavy hitters—Pokémon Legends: Z-A and Ghost of Yōtei—are doing the heavy lifting, proving their worth and keeping the store aisles busy.

Nintendo's absolute standout is, without a doubt, Pokémon Legends: Z-A. Curiously, despite it being a release for the post-Switch 2 era, the Switch 1 physical copies are outselling their successors. It suggests that the adoption rate among Korean users is trailing behind expectations. An anonymous shop manager noted that while every location is different, the ratio of Switch 1 to Switch 2 buyers is hovering around 6:4.

Kirby Air Ride has also been turning heads. Following the unusual double-header of Nintendo Directs, the game found a receptive audience, especially with the underwhelming performance of the casual racer 'Mario Kart World' leaving a gap in the market. Interestingly, a significant portion of inquiries for Kirby Air Ride came from international customers.

In the third-party camp, the Dragon Quest 1 & 2 Remake and the Tales of Xillia Remaster have stood out. These are older IPs, sure, but they come with a loyal fan base hungry for physical copies, resulting in pre-order numbers that comfortably exceeded expectations. On the other hand, Little Nightmares 3, despite the pedigree of its IP, saw rather lukewarm sales, proving to be a bit of a disappointment.

The pre-owned market tells a familiar story. Thanks to the success of Pokémon Legends: Z-A, there’s been a resurgence in demand for used Nintendo 3DS consoles and copies of Pokémon X and Y. Rumour has it that players are digging up older titles just to catch missing Pokémon. Meanwhile, the influx of Eevee-themed accessories has been a hit with Switch 2 buyers looking to deck out their new hardware.

There hasn't been a single runaway titan on the PlayStation side. If we’re being granular, the exclusive Ghost of Yōtei is carrying the flag, benefiting from the reputation of its predecessor. It’s been so popular that most shops are currently sold out, leaving shelves bare.

Digimon Story: Time Stranger piqued interest simply for being a long-awaited entry in the franchise, though its multi-platform nature kept physical sales from catching fire. Battlefield 6, despite its name recognition, suffered from a shift toward digital and PC play, making physical retail a tougher sell than previous entries.

Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 sales were abysmal, but retailers were spared the headache thanks to modest stock levels. By keeping pre-orders low and managing supply conservatively, shops avoided being left with mountains of unsold inventory. Little Nightmares 3 also failed to meet the modest sales targets set by retailers.

In the pre-owned section, the release of Ghost of Yōtei has prompted players to revisit Ghost of Tsushima. Meanwhile, copies of Monster Hunter Wilds are popping up on the secondary market as player sentiment turns increasingly sour. Even Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, which has been out for over half a year, occasionally makes an appearance on the racks.

Unlike the relentless deluge of games in September and October, the physical release calendar is looking rather sparse. Nintendo retailers are expected to double down on Pokémon Legends: Z-A and Kirby Air Ride, likely utilizing merchandise or store-specific discounts to keep the doors swinging. PlayStation retailers are pinning their hopes on the annual Black Friday sales to draw in the crowds.

Given the nature of Black Friday, we can expect a shift in focus from mere game titles to console hardware bundles. This should drive a higher proportion of hardware buyers compared to the physical software-heavy months of September and October.