Sony say "fuck consumer choice. We want all of the money!" .

[MrBiron 1,527]

https://kotaku.com/sony-ending-discs-for-all-playstation-games-starting-2028-2000711927

 

They've decided to stop producing physical discs for games starting in 2028. 

Because fuck your customers, right? 

This means that they will kill of 2nd hand game sales and lending games to your friends or family. Which means themselves and publishers will get a shitload more money.

Microsoft could well follow suit with their next console. If they're smart then they should keep the disc drive and it'll pull some customer away from Sony. Also, if the rumours are true that the next Xbox will basically be a PC with access to game stores like Steam or Epic, then that will be the console to get. At least that way you'll be able to get games at decent prices.

[crispymorgan 1,076]

Controversial opinion.  I don’t care. Physical version of AAA games have been gone for years.  The disc you get may as well be a drinks coaster.  It’s nothing more than a token to say “download the game”. Nothing runs from disc, and the version you play is a patched version that doesn’t mirror the disc data.  

 

the payoff for Sony is you can’t sell digital.  If you want to play the game, you must buy a copy.

moving physical units costs money, so it’s no surprise in this climate they are shying away from it.

the move towards games as a service will probably move towards the subscription model, even owning digital versions will become less common.

 

 It’s following tv/dvd habits.

 

 The real question is, do we need a PlayStation 6?  For the first time, graphics aren’t holding us back.  we should  prioritise gameplay.  You can even buy brand new mega drive games.  

[J4MES OX4D 10,497]

Modern gaming is so garbage that there really isn't any title which I want to own the physical version of now.  Also digital prices drop so much on PC that it is way cheaper than what the pre-owned market used to be. Most physical games these days typically require day one updates and some even contain blank discs where the game needs to be downloaded from scratch anyway.  Digital libraries just feel more convenient now especially when it comes to managing hundreds of games and I don't really mind not having the opportunity to sell used titles because many games just feel like consumables now. 

 

I actually think console gaming has much greater concerns with value and sustainability now. I could sell my first gen PS5 second hand for practically the same price I paid for it during the pandemic new. The price rises are utterly insane especially on such dated and inferior hardware. The next gen is inching towards the £1000 mark which puts it slightly behind mid-range PC's that could comfortably play a lot of titles in 4K 100fps+. There's also the subscription models, online premiums and top-end digital pricing. The future does look bleak especially with the amount of AI and UE5 slop.