GameStop no longer selling PS4 & Xbox One bundles that include digital games

Going forward, GameStop will not be selling console bundles that come with digital game codes.

GameStop executives have revealed a decision to no longer sell console bundles that come with vouchers for digital games.

As reported by Giant Bomb, the chain's most recent earnings report [PDF] paint a picture of a retailer trying to put a stop to the increasingly popular bundles, and in tern artificially extend its relevancy.

This essentially means consumers may see those bundles available at their local GameStop or online, but they will instead come with physical versions of whatever bundled games that would otherwise be a digital code.

GameStop has already done this with the Madden NFL 16 bundles for both PS4 and Xbox One. By "working with" EA and platform holders to provide customers buying the bundle with physical copies of the game. Furthermore, the retail chain said it's willing to make similar arrangements for other games in the future.

The obvious and most apparent reason for this is that GameStop benefits greatly from the resale of used games. Used games need to be physical of course and offering one to bundle-buying customers greatly increases the retail's chance in getting the game traded in. Which in turn can be resold.

Your opinion of the move will depend on the frequency of which you trade in your games at GameStop. That being said, while major titles like Madden can endure, it's not clear if the retailer will endeavour to do the same for other smaller or older bundled games, instead of refusing to sell these bundles altogether.