Former Sony Interactive Entertainment Worldwide Studios CEO, Shawn Layden, believes Sony cannot afford to release a completely digital, disc-less PlayStation 6. While acknowledging Xbox's success with this strategy, Layden highlights Sony's significantly larger global market share. Eliminating physical games would alienate a substantial portion of their user base.
Layden points out that Xbox's digital-first approach thrives primarily in English-speaking countries, unlike Sony's widespread dominance across approximately 170 nations. He questions the accessibility for users in regions with unreliable internet infrastructure, citing examples like rural Italy. He also mentions the reliance on physical games among specific demographics, such as traveling athletes or military personnel stationed at bases with limited connectivity. Layden suggests Sony is likely assessing the potential market loss associated with a disc-less model.
The debate regarding digital-only consoles has intensified since the PlayStation 4 generation, fueled by Xbox's release of digital-only consoles. Both PlayStation and Xbox offer digital-only versions of their current consoles (PS5 and Xbox Series X/S), yet Sony has resisted a complete shift to a disc-less model. This is partly due to the PS5's ability to add a disc drive, even for the higher-priced models. However, the rise of subscription services like Xbox Game Pass and PlayStation Plus's Games Catalog raises questions about the long-term viability of physical games.
Declining physical media sales and the increasing trend of games requiring online installation (even those on disc) further complicate the situation. Layden notes that titles like Ubisoft's Assassin's Creed Valhalla (likely a typo, should be Assassin's Creed Valhalla or another relevant title) and EA's Star Wars Jedi: Survivor require internet connectivity for installation, effectively rendering the physical disc a mere download key. The practice of including what was once a second disc as downloadable content further underscores this shift.
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