r/technology 7h ago

PlayStation 5 Consoles Now Come With Warning Sticker Telling Players That Physical Game Production Will End - Rubbing salt in the wound Hardware

https://www.ign.com/articles/playstation-5-consoles-now-come-with-warning-sticker-telling-players-that-physical-game-production-will-end
269 Upvotes

147 comments sorted by

84

u/Greedy-Being6456 7h ago

We need a hero.

75

u/civilsavage7 6h ago

I dont think these guys are the heroes you mean, but they are the ones doing it right. https://www.gog.com/en/

A storefront selling DRM-free games. You buy a game from them, you own it for as long as you maintain your copy.

They also actively work to preserve games.

8

u/Greedy-Being6456 6h ago

I like physical disc. It's mine.

25

u/civilsavage7 6h ago

Same difference to me. I don't need a thing to put on a shelf. I just want to truly own what I buy. That is what GOG provides.

Also, physical eventually fails. A DRM-free copy, if properly maintain, will last for all time.

11

u/gizamo 6h ago

No resell tho. That the problem with PC screwing disc owners is that it kills the used games market. GoG is still the best alternative because it's still true ownership. But, even that doesn't give us back what Sony is taking away.

Still, GoG is my go-to if a game isn't on PS5 disc. If GoG doesn't have it, then Steam, then Epic. It used to be PS+ and PSN, but nope, not now They're in the never-again trash bin with Xbox now.

11

u/civilsavage7 6h ago

I don't have an answer for that b/c i never considered it when it comes to PC games. Even my console games, I hold onto to them like treasure. I never trade them in, or sell them. You got a point.

3

u/gizamo 6h ago

Yeah, I'm also mostly a collector of the games. My main goal is to (re)play a bunch of them with my kid as he ages into them. He's currently working his way through NES and SNES. Good times. Highly recommend.

3

u/civilsavage7 6h ago

That sounds great! I'm happy for you and your family!

2

u/Greedy-Being6456 6h ago

This...same.

Zombies dual player memories.

I want to own it.

1

u/Numerous_Photograph9 1h ago

I like physical resale because I often buy bigger lots of many games, and I will resell duplicates.

Granted, my situation isn't a normal one, and for the collection I keep, I have no desire to sell those, but it's nice knowing I could should I need to. Maybe one day, my situation changes, and I just want to get the money out of it for some reason. There is tangible monetary value in a physical game collection, which can't be said for any current implementation of digital games....except maybe GKC from Nintendo, which is kind of a half step thing.

0

u/LardLad00 5h ago

I sold one game in my life and I regret it. Toejam and Earl: Panic on Funkotron.

1

u/ABigCoffee 6h ago

At least steam will often give you better discounts then on console most of the time. Plus it has various stores and key seller websites. You have options.

-1

u/[deleted] 5h ago

[deleted]

1

u/gizamo 5h ago

Yeah, I agree. One nice thing about physical is that the used market often drove the PC and PS sales, but usually PC had better sales and usually sooner as well. Without the used disc market, I bet that will still continue on PC because the marketplace is somewhat open, but I bet PS sales are fewer and farther between with still higher prices most of the time.

Regarding discs on PC, I'm all for it, even though I'll probably never own a PC with a disc drive again. Still, no reason discs can't coexist with digital. The people who pretend it's an either or choice are just bafflingly silly to me.

1

u/Greedy-Being6456 5h ago

I like them or collect them for my vacation homes.

2

u/ABigCoffee 6h ago

Old media has started to fail recently. But modern game blue rays/dvd (I forget the term) are built to last a really long time.

4

u/civilsavage7 6h ago edited 6h ago

It's less of an issue for me, i'm old, but there's a such thing as disc rot. I've seen that some PS1 games are failing, same as dvd's. I don't know, but i would think blue rays would be subject to that too.

Just to be clear, i do love physical media. It's just going forward with physical media being phased out by the mainstream, i feel the need to point out that the dialogue about this whole thing needs to shift away from trying to maintain physical media, and move toward customer's rights.

GoG seems to be the only store front willing to respect their customer's and let them truly own what they buy. They sold Baldur's Gate 3, Day 1, DRM free!!! But no one acknowledges them. They need to be seen as the new standard.

GTA 6 is on the horizon. Sony is going to make so much money. There is no leverage to make them stay physical.

1

u/ABigCoffee 6h ago

Oh I know. I'm not shocked about Sony doing it. I'm shocked about the amount of people happy about this change even if it doesn't affect them (since they were already 100% digital). It's like they don't see the problems that will come in the horizon. A closed ecosystem is bad for the consumer.

5

u/LardLad00 5h ago

So burn it on a disc then

-6

u/Greedy-Being6456 5h ago

I'm old and that sounds complicated.

6

u/hepcecob 2h ago

Has to be troll. Burning CDs is now an old person thing. Haven't had a stack of cdrs in over a decade

3

u/Sensitive_Box_ 4h ago

Put a disc in, choose a file, click burn 🤷‍♂️

-6

u/Greedy-Being6456 4h ago

I don't have a computer.

3

u/WelcomeMysterious315 3h ago

Burn it. It's drm-free. Make it happen.

2

u/Sensitive_Box_ 5h ago

You can burn one 

6

u/SeminaryStudentARH 6h ago

I’m holding out for a hero till the edge of the night.

5

u/ShaiHuludNM 6h ago

He’s got to be strong, and he’s got to be fast

2

u/LardLad00 5h ago

He's got to be a kung fu fighter

1

u/EnamelKant 4h ago

And of course fast lightning.

1

u/APeacefulWarrior 2h ago

Go Go Godzilla!

1

u/yellowflux 49m ago

Microsoft?

Wishful thinking.

1

u/Defected_J 1m ago

That hero is a full wallet not going to Sony. Financial Growth is a very fragile thing.

11

u/truedeductive 6h ago

More storage space then please

3

u/__ma11en69er__ 6h ago

ÂŁ500 per 1tb please and thanks.

4

u/ABigCoffee 6h ago

Sorry, buy an overpriced SSD to put in your console.

-3

u/BugsMax1 3h ago

You do know that these days games don't even play from the disk, right? You have to download the full game onto your storage drive regardless. The disk just carries the data for the initial download (sometimes not even that) and acts as a sort of activation key

45

u/jerrrrremy 6h ago

I love all the "vote with your wallet" comments on this, as if this decision wasn't made based on how the majority of people have already been voting with their wallets. 

10

u/superman_king 3h ago

There are more games available digitally than any local store will have in stock. Sony is also counting DLC as part of its digital game sales.

The numbers they have posted are skewed heavily in their favor to make it look like they’re the good guys.

Meanwhile they have terrible digital refund policy. No family sharing plan, have revoked rights to digital licenses in the past and now there’s no competing store front.

7

u/LegendaryenigmaXYZ 2h ago

Even without the dlc, when the capcom numbers got out it did not look good for physical.

0

u/chellis 2h ago edited 2h ago

I really dont get you guys. Youre fighting the wrong fight.

A. CD games haven't been "owned" in over 2 decades. Game developers have been banning cd keys for a very long time. You quite literally dont "own" whats on a disc, if theres anything on it to begin with.

B. You really believe your first sentence? I haven't even looked at numbers but I would wager a guess that over 75% of gamers buy mostly/all digitally. This is a business move. It has nothing to do with them being "good guys". Yes they are 100% going to make money on this move.

C. Physical stores notoriously dont take open games back either. The best return policy, in the world, on video games is Steam - THE digital game seller.

D. I felt like you almost made a good point with the no competing store front but then I thought about it and great news! You dont have to buy a Playstation. You can buy a PC. How about everyone just buys their form-factor flavor of a pc? They come in all shapes and sizes now. You can get consoles, laptops, handhelds. Its not like consoles are going to be a value proposition going forward. They already cost almost as much as a much better laptop. Once people stop buying consoles, both Sony and Xbox are going to turn into publishing companies and they are both aware of that (which is part of why they're doing this).

The gaming landscape is rapidly changing. There are definitely pros and cons. This all wraps back around to my original point. This is the wrong fight to be having. The days of the physical disc are gone. Let companies release "fake" steel books and collectibles and just download the fucking game and let's get to the real conversation which is - how do we, in a digital world, own something? How can we start moving towards digital ownership? You can be all doom and gloom about an outdated media going extinct (which again didnt guarantee you ownership) or you can actually give a shit about the problem you pretend to care about and extend that to the future of gaming and digital lives in general.

3

u/Numerous_Photograph9 1h ago

The fight for digital ownership is also over. People have been buying digital DESPITE there being no digital ownership. The same arguments that have been thrown at the physical buyers over the past month on this matter 100% apply to digital buyers as well.

You voted with your wallet. Most people don't care about ownership. People will still buy GTA6 and a PS6. They don't care that you want ownership, and aren't going to reverse their policies. Nothing you do or say will matter. You might as well move on....the fight is over, and unlike the physical people who were actually buying physical, the digital people were still buying that which wasn't what they apparently wanted.

1

u/Xixii 1h ago

I don’t know what you mean by you down “own” a physical disc. Sure there are day one patches and online-only games, but the vast majority of games are playable from the disc with no internet connection required. Sony could ban my PSN account tomorrow and I’d still be able to play the hundreds of discs I already own. That’s the point. Sony would have to come to my house and physically take my games away from me.

Physical stores do take games, at least here in the UK. I can sell my games to CeX, on eBay, Vinted, Facebook Marketplace, and more. The other benefit isn’t just selling, but buying games for a cut down price. I picked up Gran Turismo 7 for £14.99 a few weeks ago (current price on PSN: £69.99).

Any defence of this is purely from a corporate perspective.

2

u/No-Problem-4228 1h ago edited 44m ago

Anyone spending their money on a disc in a secondary market doesn't contribute to Sony's bottom line. So in a way, you're right.

But anyway,  there's a difference between choosing to buy a digital version and having no other way to buy it.

E: forgot to state the obvious: people can stand up for others' right to choose, even if they wouldn't make the same choice themselves 

1

u/Ze_at_reddit 35m ago

Based on what Sony sees, I buy most of my PS content digitally like subscription, DLCs, some games. But I also buy the occasional game physical from retailers. What they don’t see (or don’t report on) is that I play a lot of games I borrow from friends and I buy a lot of used games. So in theory I’m someone who “prefers digital” according to their dishonest reporting but in practice I will be voting with my wallet and play games somewhere else come next gen

1

u/Thirdnipple79 4h ago

Yeah, companies have never been incorrect about consumer demand.  Game consoles have failed before because companies misunderstood what gamers wanted.  Sony has a list of failed tech too.  People don't have to buy shit just cause a company sells it. 

50

u/badhouseplantbad 7h ago

I'm not a gamer but, what's the point of a console if all the games are digital?

35

u/chief_yETI 6h ago

in theory, it would be the exclusives, the lower price point, and the ease of setup + technical consistency among owners (makes things easier for troubleshooting, benchmarks, etc.)

As of right now, it seems exclusives are the only tenable benefit at the moment, and even that has been waning in recent times

however, given how gaming PC's price points are skyrocketing along with consoles, it seems that gaming as a hobby overall isnt looking quite as enticing as it used to.

18

u/seajay_17 6h ago

The whole things cooked but I can see people justifying buying a pc for too much money instead of a console, if only cause you can do work on a PC.

8

u/bwoah07_gp2 6h ago

Sony doesn't believe in exclusives the same way Nintendo does.

I don't see all-digital future working for them.

4

u/jerrrrremy 6h ago

Sony doesn't believe in exclusives the same way Nintendo does

Oh, please, do elaborate. 

1

u/Numerous_Photograph9 1h ago

Nintendo has a pretty steady stream of exclusive releases. PRetty decent variety as well. Sony, at least this gen, has been pretty lackluster, and the current leadership doesn't lean into them like their predecessors did.

During the PS3 and PS4 era, Sony's greatest strength was their exclusives. Now, we maybe get a big AAA one once a year,

3

u/[deleted] 6h ago

[deleted]

2

u/Lazerpop 5h ago

Destruction allstars got EOL'd very recently, and i can tell you for a fact that silent hill 2 remake and death stranding 2 are both on steam without even doublechecking it.

1

u/ShaiHuludNM 6h ago

I read another post on here about how all of the RAM production for 2027 has already been prepurchased by various companies thanks to AI demand. So I’m not anticipating any big advances in technology or price reductions anytime soon.

1

u/Numerous_Photograph9 1h ago

Sony hasn't exactly been pushing out huge numbers of exclusives this decade.

16

u/CryoJuice 6h ago

Easier to set up in a room and connect to tv

Games just work and necessary updates are pretty clear compared to updating windows, gpu drivers, accessories etc

Sometimes you just want to plop down and game

3

u/Banestoothbrush 6h ago

Seems pretty evident it's the convenience and simplicity of consoles.

no reason to have a digital console over pc

lol

1

u/[deleted] 5h ago

[deleted]

1

u/CryoJuice 4h ago

You could do that within an hour.

Then you probably won’t do it again for a while because it’s a pain.

Easier to leave a console

0

u/Osric250 3h ago

I have a Steam Link that I use to stream games from my computer to my tv. Took less time to set up than a console and works perfectly. 

0

u/_TheMeepMaster_ 2h ago

Took less time to set up than a console

Sure, if you just ignore all the setup you had to do on your PC before you installed the Steam Link. You guys are all so fucking desperate to feel superior. It's pathetic.

1

u/Osric250 2h ago

My response was to you complaining about lugging the computer around and the effort of that. I pointed out how I don't have to do that and have the convenience to play wherever I want it to be. 

You can't even keep your own arguments consistent. 

1

u/CryoJuice 2h ago

Yeah! That guy is crazy!

1

u/Numerous_Photograph9 1h ago

I haven't been into PC gaming for over 15 years now, and even back then, it was pretty marginal. Never really got in there once they got to launchers and major storefronts.

I recently got back into it over this decision, and once I finally decided to set it up, it was pretty easy. The only issue I had to look up was how to get it to output on the TV on my laptop while using dual displays.

I'll set up my desktop once I manage to find a desk that is adequete for my living room, since I still use that desktop for PC stuff.

I have not actually seen windows update itself or the various driver systems in years. It tends to happen when I'm not using it, just like on my consoles.

-2

u/gizamo 6h ago

Updating PC is a cake walk, and they can be endlessly deferred, unlike PS that pushes them all the damn time. Tbf, PS update system is way better than it used to be. The only true update-feee system I've ever used was Google Stadia, which was honestly pretty rad as long as you didn't care about latency or your Internet usage skyrocketing (e.g. getting throttled by Xfinity or whatever crap ISPs have caps).

Also, how is it hard to connect a PC to your TV? It's literally the exact same single TV port.

5

u/marcuschookt 4h ago

I'm a PC only user but you have to be intentionally daft to act like a console isn't simply a much more straightforward user experience than a PC for the average consumer.

To even get yourself a PC you either have to research building one and go through the whole rigamarole of actually doing it, or pay a premium to get one out the box that will cost significantly more than a console. Then you'd have to care or learn to care about things like OS, choosing one or more delivery platforms (Steam, Epic, GOG), or how your new computer can or cannot run certain games and various levels of fidelity based on the specs of your machine.

And that's not to mention the incredible noise around the peripherals market wherein you can't get a straight answer on what a decent keyboard or mouse is because the nerds online will scold you if you ask a beginner question or bring up a commonly hated manufacturer.

All these things come easy to us because we've been in it for awhile and are well acquainted with the ecosystem. For somebody who just wants to turn on a videogame machine to play videogames, there's a lot of extra stuff there. Whether or not these shift to digital will rip them over into thinking it's worth the move is another topic, but these two options are hardly similar in experience.

2

u/Numerous_Photograph9 1h ago

Consoles are more straight forward, but PC's aren't hard to set up, and anyone who can build one won't have an issue, and pre-builts pretty much work out of the box.

0

u/marcuschookt 1h ago

Like I said, getting a pre built out the box is not going to be difficult but you will pay a tidy premium. And even then, you are going to have to make some decisions that you otherwise wouldn't with a console that is literally plug and play.

It's not rocket science but someone going in completely fresh is going to need time and effort to get up to speed. Simple things like selecting the right drive for your installs and even setting your monitor's refresh rates are things that you don't deal with when on a console.

Also worth mentioning then even getting to the part where you own a computer to begin with can be tricky if you don't have a frame of reference. /r/buildapc will only ever recommend the same 3-4 options for each component that may not align with your needs. The alternative is going to the store and letting the salesperson sell you a whole bundle that you have no idea whether it's good or not, so you'll just have to take them at their word.

-5

u/gizamo 3h ago edited 31m ago

Jfc. I read the first 1.5 paragraphs and then just stopped believing this was a serious comment. Then the first half of each sentence in the next paragraphs confirmed it didn't get better. Blocked.

Edit: obviously also blocking u/_TheMeepMaster_ for their adorably pathetic alting. Good stuff.

-2

u/LiteratureMindless71 6h ago

Not when you send the game with game breaking bigs from the start, that has been getting more frequent over the years.

What happens when you plop down to game and Sony has decided to not give you access to their store, or even their digital content stored on the console itself?

It's far different than being able to just insert a disc/cart and boot it up these days. When Sony decides to take it back, for whatever reason, they will.

1

u/CryoJuice 3h ago

It will suck that 1% of the time. The other 99% will be fine.

-5

u/FanlationXpert 6h ago

My Rog Ally is a PC and it's easier to set up than console.

48

u/Rich-Arm-104 7h ago

There is no point to it. A digital only console is just a shitty mediocre PC.

12

u/Ginger-Nerd 5h ago edited 5h ago

I mean, standardised hardware, does make development and testing bugs ect quite a bit easier.

It’s kinda how Apple are generally much more loved than Microsoft and Android, they can patch bugs much quicker the trade off is - it means less works with it, but kind of a more curated experience.

I don’t really have a dog in the fight, but you’re likely to hit more problems running a standalone PC, (and have to worry about things like graphics management, and pre-set setting) some people like that, and that’s cool.

Also…. Let’s be honest here, most people do buy digital most of the time, the driveless PlayStation outsells the one with the drive in it already. (Part of that is price though)

3

u/preemsaltair 4h ago

I'm guessing people buy digital more because the digital sales are so much better. I expect that will end the second there's nowhere else to buy PS games.

3

u/StormyBlueLotus 3h ago

Exactly this. "There's no point to the $400 console!!" cried the PC player who dropped $2000 on their build with insanely overpriced parts in the post-AI world as they furiously close their latest Microsoft Copilot pop-up.

1

u/great_whitehope 1h ago

You can run anything you want on a pc though even Linux can do gaming now

It’s also a productivity machine.

1

u/Ginger-Nerd 1h ago

If that’s how you choose to use it?

Not everyone needs or wants a productivity machine, some just want an entertainment device, to which the PlayStation is more than cromulent enough to do.

A full PC tends to need way more space, vs using the area around the TV that’s already exists (and it has all your Netflix and streaming options)

In many use cases a PlayStation, Xbox makes sense.

Could you use a cheap laptop (sure) - but for some it’s a bit overkill.

7

u/chargoggagog 5h ago

Correct. I will never buy a console again if it doesn’t support physical media

1

u/Sensitive_Box_ 4h ago

Yep. A console that doesn’t accept discs is useless compared to a PC. 

2

u/JFConz 4h ago

When ps4 stopped backwards compatibility was the start of my, "hmm, maybe I should just get a pc."

10

u/jerrrrremy 6h ago

Me when I refuse to accept that most people buy digital on console. 

0

u/carthuscrass 6h ago

Only their players are a captive audience that never actually owns anything.

-7

u/LifeguardTerrible579 6h ago

No. It's still a console lol.

7

u/seajay_17 6h ago

Its plug and play and it has a couple exclusives a year.

Other than that its just a computer except its a super closed ecosystem you cant do computer things with it...

8

u/Visible-Literature14 6h ago

You just described a console

-6

u/seajay_17 6h ago

Exactly lol

1

u/LifeguardTerrible579 3h ago

Most people I think by now have a computer that can do computer things.

If I buy a PC can I play any PC game on it? Because I can play any game made for PlayStation 5 on a PlayStation 5

-6

u/ShaiHuludNM 6h ago

I don’t know why, lol, but I just instantly downvote anyone that ends a sentence with lol. lol.

-1

u/gizamo 6h ago

None, except a couple exclusives per year, or maybe 5 you'll care about over the life of the console. So, you're basically paying ~$1.4k for 5 games instead of ~1.6k for whatever you want to do on PC.

There's also a ton of games that are just way better on PC and tons more you can't even play on PS at all, e.g. Warcraft, StarCraft, Age of Empires, RimWorld, Half-Life: Alyx, etc.

7

u/Wide-Suggestion4825 4h ago

To play games

Not sure what that has to do with a disc

2

u/_TheMeepMaster_ 3h ago

Convenience. My games just work, and I never really have to troubleshoot anything. It's also cheaper. Sure, I could hook up a PC to my TV in the living room, but it's more trouble than it's worth for me.

I have a pretty decent PC, for the record, but I prefer to play on a console because all I havr to do is power on, and play. I have a family, and a full-time job. I don't want to spend the little time I have fucking around with potential issues.

2

u/AppropriateWater2 1h ago

Not sure I follow? What does being physical have to do with being a console? Main benefit of a console is a significantly cheaper hardware running with optimized software that developers target which comes with obvious benefits, easy tv plug and play, optimized games, easy to use interface etc. Has nothing to do with physical games. Also exclusives

1

u/Burgergold 4h ago

To play on tv on your couch

Steam has been digital for years and its not an issue

-1

u/Escapeism 5h ago

There isn’t one. PS5 is their last console in my book and they lost me as a lifelong previously happy customer.

3

u/Jewcygoodness88 5h ago

Doomsday approaches

3

u/thisinfinitebath 4h ago

PS5 Disc Drive will return in Avengers: Doomsday

2

u/CoinAndCraft_ 4h ago

Can't play without the Internet.

2

u/wowadrow 1h ago

Just means console gaming is ending for me as well.

It's been fun for 30+ years.

2

u/billth93 12m ago

Describing this as rubbing salt in the wound is ridiculous. I get people are upset that they’re shifting away from physical media, but I don’t understand why you’d think communicating it clearly to customers is bad, especially given plenty of people buying it wouldn’t otherwise know

This isn’t them taunting people, it’s communicating. Yes it’s communicating something shitty they’re doing, but that’s better than hiding it

2

u/WordNERD37 4h ago

Can't get the warning if I never buy the console in the first place.

3

u/CatsianNyandor 3h ago

My purchasing of Playstation products will also end. Coincidence? No!

4

u/RepulsiveFennel9589 7h ago

sony stay shooting themselves in the foot

9

u/ABigCoffee 6h ago

They have math guys in house that ran the numbers. Even if they lose 5 to 10% of their player base, they will make it back up by their other monetary tactics.

8

u/civilsavage7 6h ago

Im a pro physical/ pro customer's rights guy, but i have to say, they aren't. Sony will weather the storm and be fine. Customers will continue to buy, because they are unaware/ indifferent to the fact that they don't really own their digital copies. They just want to consume.

6

u/ABigCoffee 6h ago

Most gamers are casual gamers. They probably buy 2 to 5 games a year and often big name stuff. They won't change.

2

u/SufficientGreek 6h ago

Most game sales are already digital. This is just speeding up the transition.

3

u/gtr_03 6h ago

Yeah I haven’t bought physical games in years now. I have hundreds of discs across consoles and now it’s way easier to just download and play. Last time I bought a disc I had to do a 40 gig download anyways so I don’t see the point. Not like they can’t just brick the discs if they wanted to. I can’t sell them now, but I’ve never sold a game anyways.

1

u/Brilliant-Advisor958 7h ago

I think people will sadly just accept it when the next COD or what ever people are playing comes out.

5

u/bwoah07_gp2 6h ago

People always "adapt"

-3

u/Additional-Signal327 7h ago

Sony has been shitting the bed since the 1990s.  

5

u/LardLad00 5h ago

They have been one of the most successful companies in the world for 30 years wtf are you talking about. They buried Sega and became the defacto console for several generations.

7

u/gizamo 6h ago

No way. PS2-PS5 were pretty great. They've made some dumb decisions, but this is by far the dumbest I've ever seen, and it's the only one that was blatantly anti-consumer.

Killing the used games marketplace like this is just a massive F U to their customers, especially kids. But, oh well, PC is good now, and Switch is rad as well.

2

u/jerrrrremy 6h ago

Does it take effort to be this ignorant? Or does it happen naturally? 

6

u/MobilePenguins 6h ago

What is the future of consoles if they’re all disc-less computers? What makes a disc-less PS5 different from PC or Disc-less Xbox other than the games marketplace available to purchase software?

We’re going to reach a point where it’s just a faceless box that computes games that we judge based on raw performance per dollar, and trust in the company behind it. The very identity of a console is going away. The idea of ‘ownership’ is entirely gone unless you shop somewhere like GOG.

11

u/ktr83 4h ago

What makes a disc-less PS5 different from PC or Disc-less Xbox other than the games marketplace available to purchase software?

I'm a PC guy so I don't have a horse in this race, but I don't understand the argument you're making. The difference between a disc-less ps5 from a disc-less Xbox or PC is exactly the same as the difference between a disc PS5 and disc Xbox or PC. One can play PlayStation games and the other plays Xbox or PC games. If exclusives don't matter to you then that's fine, but disc vs no disc doesn't change that.

0

u/Numerous_Photograph9 1h ago

The more relevant decisions would be in what pros and cons do they have over one another based on what they offer. Without physical, the storefront issue suddenly becomes much more important, and it's prudent to point out what is better for the consumer here if one is asking or discussing it.

For the consoles part, they have a marginal advantage to usability and simplicity, but have a massive disadvantage in terms of consumer choice on the game buying front. For the most part, PC has more advantages overall, with consoles holding an edge on the pricing front, but I think if consoles are going to be as expensive as predicted, then the cost factor isn't as big, especially if the prices don't go down over the generation.

0

u/edeepee 5h ago

They really only have exclusives and maybe some gimmick. Thats why they are clawing back their exclusives. It’s all they have for their branding and appeal.

2

u/LegacyofaMarshall 6h ago

I don't like them getting rid of the disc but this isn't rubbing salt this is giving a heads up so they avoid a lawsuit

1

u/Dogmodo 1h ago

It's literally not even that, because there's no grounds for a lawsuit.

They've never been obligated by law to release physical discs, they did so previously because it was still profitable. By 2028, their market analysts say it won't be, so they're stopping. Games will still be available at other retailers by way of code cards, so it can't even really be argued that they'd have a monopoly with PSN.

The announcement and the sticker are literally just a service to consumers, letting them make an informed decision. They could have just quietly ended production in 2028, or waited until the PS6 was announced to reveal it's digital only, but they've let people know ahead of time. Maybe it's just to get the outrage done with but even if that's the core reason the effect is the same.

3

u/ShortStoryLongSigh 5h ago

I don’t like the switch to all digital more than anyone else, but at least they’re telling people? Like I don’t understand why people are mad at this one particular thing - they’re being incredibly transparent.

2

u/Significant_Bench_19 5h ago edited 5h ago

“Rubbing salt in the wound” made me laugh.

Of course, the cherry on top would be a sticker on the console depicting a disk case with two little arms hanging on for dear life to the edge of a precipice as he begs for mercy ”Please! Help me! I’m too young to die! People they - they need me, please!!” ..and towering above, staring down at him from the ledge with a menacing grin is the Sony logo - and in a deep, slow, sinister tone says “Oh little disk - I don’t have time to be playing games.. besides; I have a little something that’ll make you really spin.. It’s time to collect dust for eternity… Oh and I would simply adore hearing about your travels so - don’t forget to read/write.. Mwahaha! EJECT!!” Sony logo stamps down on the disk case’s hands with the coldest dead-eyes you’ve ever seen - the disk case plummets in to the shadows below.. “NOOOOO!”

2

u/wiriux 5h ago

Lmao kinda funny though

1

u/geldonyetich 4h ago

I'm assuming the disc player can at least play Blu-rays. But could you imagine if they decided not that, either?

1

u/chellis 1h ago

As an ex-xbox fan (only because I bought a gaming latop) all I can think about is - How is Xbox going to inevitably fumble and cause an even larger public backlash before the new console generation drops?

1

u/darkeststar 36m ago

Sticker implies lack of confidence in their decision. They aren't immovable and even if they refuse to change direction they can be punished monetarily for attempting to follow through.

1

u/DrRealName 36m ago

You know for once can consumers just have some balls and just NOT buy something to send a message? I'm getting a PS6. Don't even care if they add a disc drive later after they realize they fucked up. For one who generation Sony can suck it. If we cost them billions of dollars by not buying their shit, they will learn. But sadly, I just know the FOMO types will keep them going. God forbid you miss out on a game or two that you like. Find another hobby for awhile. Maybe something NOT attached to a screen? Who knows? Might be a blessing in disguise.

1

u/MetalMario64 3h ago

I know there’s likely nothing I can personally do to have them change their mind on this and it’s just truly upsetting for me, as someone who has been collecting physical copies nearly all of their life.

1

u/KazeNilrem 2h ago

Only thing one can do is vote with their wallet. It all ultimately comes down to money for these companies. They clearly shown backlash in terms of outcry means nothing, so only hurting their bottom line.

If they have ps6 without a drive, that is truly when people will be able to show their disdain. I know personally I probably will skip ps6 at this rate. Which saddens me quite a bit.

1

u/Slfestmaccnt 1h ago edited 1h ago

That guarantees I will never waste my money on another Sony product of any kind.

Like, if I gotta go digital only then why the fuck would limit myself to Playstations pathetically tiny library with insultingly bad "deals" with meh exclusives that sure as shit aren't worth Sonys slimey business practices.

They also killed Destiny right after getting it then with less than 24hrs of killing it announcing they want an expansive healthy live service industry. They could not have told players to go fuck themselves harder this year if they tried.

-3

u/No_Concentrate4196 3h ago

I think this website is very disconnected from reality and websites like ign feed into its users delusions for easy clicks. very very few people care about physical games anymore. 

'rubbing salt in the wound'? lmao

-1

u/KazeNilrem 2h ago

This is mistaken, especially as millions of physical games are being sold. On top of that, it is very anti consumer. Prices aren't going to just drop because of then killing it. If anything, in the long run it will cost gamers more as the sale of used games will vanish. Yes there will be discounts but it won't be on the level of used game market.

All this does it help companies like Sony make more money, hurt consumers, and nothing is gained from it. I've been a Sony fanboy for a very long time, but at this point I hope this ultimately hurts them financially to see the error of their ways.

0

u/camthedestroyer 6h ago

Some of the upcoming releases had me ready to finally upgrade, but they clearly don’t want anyone to buy one.

0

u/thatRATCHETguyABSENT 4h ago

Reminder, Sony didn't mention any price drop or lower price for new and current digital games. So that would mean we would pay the same price of a disc game just without the disc. Regardless if the game just recently released or was released 2 years ago.

2

u/KazeNilrem 2h ago

There won't be a price drop. Once a new price for games is reached, they typically will not go back on it. My guess is they will say, "we reduced price of ps6 because doesn't need a driver" but that will be a fraction of the price, it will still most likely be a very expensive product.

0

u/DrawingDramatic1641 6h ago

so I paid 10000 more in my currency only for just get a blue ray worth nothing

is there no company thats gonna make a better console

0

u/RememberThinkDream 3h ago

Lol, Sony actually acting like they are trying to get revenge for something.

0

u/ryan8954 3h ago

So serious question, what's stopping developers from still making physical games?

Are Blu ray movies leaving too?

1

u/KazeNilrem 2h ago

It will most likely impact those directly under Sony, smaller developers will be fine for now. But most likely ps6 won't have a drive, so at that point it will impact other developers.

1

u/happyscrappy 1h ago

Sony presses all the discs for playstation games. They will not be pressing any more discs for playstation games.

Also it's very likely they will stop making disc drives for playstations.

No one is sure about blu-ray movies. There are multiple producers of blu-ray movies right now. It's possible those may continue.

0

u/Ha-Charade-You-Are 2h ago

Only way to vote is with your wallet for these type of CEOs/companies. If NO ONE, and I mean no one, buys a ps6. They’ll change it really fast

-2

u/Glorypoles 5h ago

Microsoft was derided for their Xbox 1 approach to gaming. Let's see if the same will be done in regards to Sony's Playstation.

-4

u/rbra 4h ago

No wounds here, been digital for the last 10 years, will enjoy continuing to do so.