'We Are Not Seeing Any Impact on Our Business': Sony Says Physical Disc Backlash Is Having Zero Effect

How unsurprising eh.

But will give the site plenty more engagement bait.

@PsBoxSwitchOwner Lol yeah people taking the argument "We're going out kicking and screaming" a little too literally. Like I think it sucks, I don't want it to happen, but literally what is any of this going to do, besides trying to buy more physical games yourself, or trying to get casual consumers to buy more physical games (and not just mainstream games at that), but we know neither of those will happen.

Seeing how they haven’t stopped selling games on disks yet, how could it affect games sales? If you have a PS5, I don’t see any reason not to use your purchase as normal.

The real story will be when the PS6 comes out at a high price with less consumer rights and after a very disappointing current generation. Are as many people really going to be happy to just throw money at that thing, at least on day one?

Wasn't there backlash when music and movies went digital? Yet, everyone accepted those eventually. This is on the same path to that acceptance

Am I the only one who wants a code in a box or even gift card style codes? Makes gifting games super easy and you don't have to worry about those annoying discs.

It is deeply embarrassing that people believe there is a boycott underway—when, in reality, at least 90% of the public doesn't care, and the other 10% are just farming likes and engagement.

I havent been on in weeks. But its more because Ive been playing Halo, BallxPit and Buckshot Roulette and they are all on GP🤷 and my kids love bowling on Switch so. The one thing that does irk me is the talk of the last FF7 not having physical. I have the Deluxe of the first two still sealed with my other collectibles. I'll be super pissed if I cant complete that.

If there's a financial consequence (still a pretty hefty IF) it won't be seen until after the launch window of the PS6. The initial months will be typical with consoles being difficult to get ahold of. But once that hype settles it'll start to be clear how many people have decided to say goodbye to consoles. Like I said, still an "if" but that's when it'll happen if it does.

Let’s see if they keep this cocky attitude when they try to sell us on a $1000+ PS6.

2028 is when we'll see if their decision made a difference or not. There are two ways for people to show that they care about physical media. One way is to buy as many physical games as possible. The other is to boycott Sony completely and not buy anything. However, these two routes have the opposite effects on Sony's profits and (to a degree) cancel each other out.

For now, we can only say that their image took a big hit. Makes them seem very anti-consumer when users have less options.

I mean, financial results so far only go up to June 30th, which just so happens to be before the announcement, so in terms of those results, of course they won't notice anything yet. Not to mention, this Q+A is for investors; do you honestly expect them to be 100% truthful on something that wouldn't look favourable to them?

Yes, they probably have some metrics already that say one way or another, and truthfully, I don't think the boycott will do anything, but we are very early days in this. There is still 17 months before this happens.

If they sell codes in a box I'll buy them that way. I get a code and a case to display on my gaming shelf. I have a few switch games like that.

Ah well, that's that then right? Ofc not, the minority will bang on about this forever it seems. I like reading the comments anyway, makes me chuckle.

@IllusiveMan I understand what you're saying and i can't fathom how we got to these prices but look at Iphones these days. I remember when they used to be like £500 and I'm not an Apple user but I've seen that a 17 Pro Max with max storage capacity costs £2000! I could never imagine spending that much on a phone but people do.

That statement is so cold, clinical, and unhelpful. That's Sony these days, I guess.

They should wait till PS6 launch, drop of console sales be massive

@get2sammyb Of all of those brand spanking new subscribers how many are going to interact with the service beyond CoD? I'll fart out a random percentage and say 5% because it helps my anecdotal point. The games industry is fuelled by hype and marketing firms have had years to perfect building that hype. All its going to take is a couple of flashy trailers and whatever boycott has been bandied about will crumble in seconds. History bears this out completely, hell what was a CoD that people were meant to boycott? Was it the original Modern Warfare 2?

Well the announcement was July 1st while this fiscal report only covered 3 months (April-June 30th) before the announcement. So obviously Sony will not see the slightest effect from the backlash, especially when right now there's still physical games for PS4/5.

Heck, Sony probably will get a nice little bump from physical fans who bought PS4/PS5 disc while retail still have their stocks.

But when comes to January 2028 and PS6 price revealed, we will see how this gonna turns out...

@TDHorizon that’s a fair point. But I would say the amount of people buying iPhones à la carte and not through a payment plan with their phone carrier is small. Most probably don’t feel that cost.

"Personally, I think it’s a profound waste of plastic, so I hope it makes adjustments accordingly."

Completely agree with this. Cards, as per wallet top ups are sufficient.

@TDHorizon I get it but that’s an apple to oranges comparison, phones nowadays are almost essential and many subsidized with carriers whereas consoles are not, in fact the console market has been shrinking and younger generations are not as interested on AAA gaming, the few ones who do are quickly getting priced out of gaming altogether which makes existing console makers more reliant on the existing audience to keep spending more and more.

If it doesn't hurt their bottom line, they won't change course. I remember saying that when this whole thing started and they pretty much confirmed it with their statement.

In that case, I'm going to "cautiously move myself off this platform".

Thank you, Sony, for the magical memories from PS1, PS2, PS3 and PS4 (less so the overrated PS5) but this is me out after nigh on 30 years.
Can only hope that Xbox rise from their self-inflicted ashes and put up a fight to bring arrogant Sony some competition.

@PuppetMaster retailers would of already paid for their stock, so the only way Sony will make more money is if so many people buy discs that retailers have to buy more stock, which i highly doubt will happen because if people were buying discs we wouldn't be in this situation to begin with.

Not right now because the media that is about to be axed is still widely available. But come PS6, then we will see what it can bring them. Hopefully an underwhelming launch.

What! You mean signing a meaningless petition doesn't work? Since when?

The only opportunity to have any genuine impact would be to have a massive boycott of a future big 1st party title, wolverine being the next one off the line. If millions of people refused to purchase it upon release or at the very least, refused to buy the digital version then it might make an impact. Otherwise, it's pointless.

By the time Sony feels that impact, it will be too late for them already. They have irretrievably lost all the trust.

@Dman10 not the same mate. They never stopped shipping CDs, vinyl, DVDs and blu-rays. Despite people preferring the easy digital option. With gaming they are forcing everyone to go all in on digital consoles which need the internet.

@BentIeyma RE Requiem and Pragmata PS5 disc was sold out. That alone already a solid proof that showed people did bought physical games. I believe there's also a report that showed some Sony 1st party games like Astro Bot, R&C Rift Apart, or Ghost of Yotei are sold more on physical than digital.

And we're in this situation is not because people didn't buy physical games. But one of the biggest reason is because publishers released more digital games without physical options. Tell me how i can play GoW Sons of Sparta, Ghost n' Goblins Ressurection, Kunitsu-Gami, Romeo is a Dead Man, Chrono Cross HD, or Onimusha 2 HD on PS4/5 without buying digital version? Well i can't cause there's no physical release for these games.

@PuppetMaster cartridges even if Physical discs ending in 2028.

At this rate Playstation should really be looking also to phase out consoles, single player games, maybe they should pivot into a live-service publisher. Soon there will be no significant differentiators from any of the other companies and i believe they could make more money making their own PC launcher, if that’s all they care. I really agree that it’s still too soon to gauge the impacts of this and maybe when they make themselves visible, then it might be too late. Trust is really hard to earn back. As we,ve seen with Xbox, it’s really easy to boil yourself until there’s no coming back.

The whales that they are making money from are typically "lifestyle" games. The kind of games that some people are super into and it is their primary or even only game because it takes up so much time.

Things like Fortnite, Apex Legends, Warframe, Gacha Waifu games, Free-To-Play, World of Tanks (and spin-offs), Sports (Soccer, Football, Baseball), MMOs and of course, CoD and Battlefield.

If you typically play just one game on PS5, how likely are you to upgrade to an enormously expensive PS6 to play your lifestyle game with minimal noticeable improvements? We are hitting a realm of diminishing returns and lifestyle games need to prioritize the next annual release and/or just making new content vs. overhauling the whole thing for a new console.

I expect a ton of players are not going to rush to the PS6. Sony KNOWS this and will raise digital game prices and PSPlus costs to try to make up for lost investments we have already seen (Concord, Bungie, etc.) as well as investments in PSVR2, PS6 and a portable PS6.

More and more players will play elsewhere such as mobile devices they already own, PCs and Switch.

XBox is already doomed unless they make sone drastic changes to get customers.

Sony had a Golden Goose. But they are killing it due to a complete failure to understand why people like Playstation and consoles in general.

They finally responded, and I knew they wouldn’t back down from the decision. Whelp, all I can do is buy as many disc as I can. The games I have interest in at least.

If they do feel the backlash, it won’t be now. It will be with the PS6. Possibly 2028, but it won’t be now.

@PsBoxSwitchOwner good. Whether or not something changes I hope people complain forever. Only those who are short sighted don't care about the obvious issues with an all digital future that's locked on a platform that likes to do things like dynamic prices, has 90% of control over games, and doesn't even allow you to change your account region. Also, if you change your username they can't even guarantee you won't lose access to purchased content. What is that?

She does make a comment about saying how they need to think about how to address that feedback. All we can hope for is that thinking actually results in something tangeible.

Of course there's zero impact. What these physical fanboys don't realise is that they represent such a miniscule minority that I'd be like throwing a cup of water off the Titianic while it was filling with water and thinking you're making a difference.

I prefer physical, but we need to be realistic here, all digital has been inevitable for years. I wonder how many of the physical fanboys still buy blu-ray instead of using Netflix........ Same issue just different industry but I bet they aren't shouting off about that.....

@get2sammyb I did say they probably have some metrics that give an idea. But I still stand by my point that it is early days regardless.

"The players have attachments, and we have to think about how to respond to that feedback."

Thinks. Does *****-all.

@PuppetMaster Even if that's the case retailers are still going to be ordering less stock than they were 20 years ago because the demand isn't there.

Also, I don't think that not all games get a physical release is a good argument. The reason is probably because developers don't think it's worth the time or money to release their game on disc because it won't sell. If anything saying not all games are released physically is just providing more evidence to move to an all digital future.

The disdain for the people who are upset is so strange.

I embraced the digital age long ago, so i won't really be affected. But I totally get the anger and hope those fighting for physical are succesful. I'm really curious to see how this all plays out. The negative reaction to every single post they make online, is not going to go away anytime soon. It may not be impacting their business yet, but the longer this continues, the brand damage will be huge.

If they go through with it, Xbox will be presented with the easiest win ever. Announcing the next Xbox will have a disc drive, is probably the single best move they could make. Although I imagine they'd save that news till nearer launch.

Do not worry Sony, you will see an impact, once PS6 is released.

“However, as I already said, the users, the players have attachments, and we have to think about how to respond to that feedback.”

That doesn’t exactly scream total confidence in a disc‑less future. Sony knows it’s become a slow moving target for regulators, especially now that removing physical discs weakens their antitrust defence. They can push ahead with digital‑only but the current lawsuits in the UK and EU show regulators already smell blood. Concessions are increasingly likely and Sony’s wording makes it clear the pressure is on their minds.

Sony is aware of their monopoly.

The arrogance. I genuinely hope Xbox capitalise with helix and include a disc drive, if not then its switch 2 for me.

@ShadowRJ I think that's sort of back-to-front thinking. I think one of the reasons Sony have done this is because the PS6 won't sell well (at least at first) because of how expensive it is. Sony will want to make as much money from who do buy the PS5 as possible.

Are people thick? The discs are still being printed, of course there's no change, even I am still buying the games. The change will be when they stop making them.

This isn't going to have an immediate negative effect on their bottom line, but mark my words, it will in the future. Not just because of the physical disc issue, but because of how much of a sh#t company they have become over this generation compared to last.

@IllusiveMan Couldn't have said it better myself.

Im not surprised. The whole thing doesnt make me upset with Sony, moreso it makes me sad that I recognize my hobby less and less.

@FuzzieGinge88 well…it’s very easy to buy blu ray instead of Netflix if you want to. A few months, and I’ll probably have Brand New Day on blu ray.

And yeah, we are a minority, but that doesn’t mean that our opinions aren’t important. If you dislike Sony for pushing ahead with it’s live service plans instead of narrative based single player games, you too are part of a minority.

Great for them. Won't be buying anything from them anymore, I guess they don't need my money.

Not that there was a lot to love in this generation, outside of Astrobot and Rift apart.

@Fyz306903 that certainly seems to be the strategy. But in that case, I find it VERY peculiar that they’d make a decision that would anger the sort of people who Sony would wish to target with this device.

shrugs people have built their entire lives around gaming and consumerism is a mix of addiction/religion/and self soothing therapy. Also gaming as a mass produced product has been heavily curated and marketed to guide people into certain purchasing habits. People will complain but they won’t walk away. (just like reactions to layoffs, studio closures, and acquisitions.) Also why people are more affronted by a plastic license key vs pushing for consumer protections to all the TOS they agree to when gaming (varies by region). (folks are still gonna buy GTA6 for instance…)

The closest test Sony and MS will see is if the next consoles are truly $1000+ to see what the market is willing to bear (and I suspect sales may slow some but they won’t crater). But that won’t be due to the boxes being digital. That will be due to some folks feeling priced out. Gen alpha gamers aren’t gonna blink at any of this.

I guess the petition was going to be a clear indicator of whether this backlash would work.
Unfortunately like people have said before, a lot of people just dont care enough to make these changes.
Sony was always gonna do what Sony wants to do.
Its a shame, but it is what it is

@ShadowRJ External drive is my best guess with respect to that.

@TBubs311 I understand but consoles can also be bought using payment plans similar to a contract. I bought my Series S years ago using a 24 month payment plan through Currys. My friend also bought his PS Pro from I cant remember where but hes using a payment plan through Paypal.

@PsBoxSwitchOwner I’m sorry, were you expecting the PlayStation centric website to not report on PlayStation news?

@IllusiveMan I understand but consoles can also be bought using payment plans similar to a contract. I bought my Series S years ago using a 24 month payment plan through Currys. My friend also bought his PS Pro from I cant remember where but hes using a payment plan through Paypal.

In other news, the sky is blue. Seriously, all these people screaming on social media think their words carry more weight than they think they do. There was almost no way Sony would change course

@dschons if they can somehow license out the discs to Limited Run esque companies, wonderful. Problem solved.

It won’t affect me at all.
I think my nephews will just change to digital but maybe miss CEX exchanging games a little, as will my son.
My niece parents are a bit tech already has all her games on switch 2 digital.

Times are changing get with it.

@Dman10 Wait, did I miss something? When did movies and music go only digital?

@ItsAlwaysSunnyyy I probably buy more physical media than 75% of people who post on here if not more. Infact since the announcement I’ve bought 3 brand new. And I don’t think it’s great what Sony is doing. - hopefully we still at least get codes in a box to keep things competitive.

But I’m not stupid - a tiny minority online has no effect on the real world.

@BentIeyma Retails can't order more copies even if they want to because publishers already limits the quantity and forced people to go digital route. I'm sure there's still healthy demands for physical games. But retails can't do much with those demands if they didn't get enough stock from publishers.

And how you can say a lot of digital games didn't get physical release is not a good argument when publishers has been planning to get rid of middle man and second hand market for years by keeps pushing for digital only release no matter if physical games still made good revenue for them. These corpos has been conditioned gamers for years to go full digital.

FYI, last year Sony alone sold 70+ million copies of PS4 and PS5 disc. Tell me again that's not an evidence physical games still sell.
https://www.tweaktown.com/news/111657/physical-media-still-going-strong-at-playstation-with-70-million-game-discs-sold-last-year/index.html

Sure physical games isn't as big as 20 years ago. But there's still a market for it, just like there's a market for vinyl, cassete tape, books, DVD / bluray movies, TCG, etc.

And there we have it..the backlash is having zero effect on them so can PS stop with these bloody articles and get back on track..

Drops of water compared to the ocean.

I wouldnt expect it to. Most people dont buy games every month, and if they do, will it be only on sony?

I also expect the vast majority of people not to care about loss of physical.

That said, I have not bought a sony game since the show 26, probably wont for a while either. Not buying gives me the chance to play my backlog. (And anything that comes up on premium until it expires in november)

Im all digital anyway though, so if I was going to buy something itd likely be on the marketplace.

There also should be definitely no code in a box. All digital from the store fronts all consoles.
No plastic and manufacturer of, less harm to the environment.

@Dman10 it's not really the same though; most films and albums are still available to buy physically, with a disc, if you so choose to buy them that way.

@ItsAlwaysSunnyyy ah yes impotent rage forever is definitely a normal reaction lmao get over yourself. I'll keep laughing at all the tears so by all means.

@DiggleDog it's not news. That's like the weather channel reporting that the sky exists.

All those PS Plus cancellations were for naught

@Ryu_Niiyama That's the annoying thing. If the ps6 sells poorly, the loudest people will say it's because it's all-digital, but the massive price will be a far bigger issue, IMO.

@MARl0 music and movies didn’t go all digital but obviously people are more likely to listen to music on their TVs and devices and watch movies through streaming services and digital renting than they are buying a CD and DVD/BluRays in today’s world.

@Fyz306903 exactly I’m more concerned at how expensive the PS6 is going to be…

I imagine in a few years sony will say, "we're getting rid of physical consoles. Streaming is the way of the future. And Sony tvs are the only place to play them. And sony phones are the only way to control said games." 🤣🤣🤣

@TDHorizon I think you’re confusing installment plans to subsidizing, the way many phones are sold with carriers is that they include the cell services within the price of the phone for X months and ends up being cheaper than buying the phone outright and separately paying for cell service (effectively subsidizing the price of the phone), consoles simply don’t work like that, there’s no one selling PS5s with unlimited games included for a monthly price, MS attempted something like that with Xbox and Game Pass back in 2021 but it didn’t take off.

The latest trend as shown by Apple this week is hardware leasing which to me is completely dystopian but I can already see the pitch on the console side, personally I’d rather sell my old hardware to buy new one or simply buy older or refurbished devices before paying a monthly fee for hardware I will never own.

@AI-Generation (#74) The irony of your username and your comment lmfao

Well yeah, because social media backlash doesn't show on spreadsheets.
Want to make your voice heard? You should hurt them in a way it would show on spreadsheets, like pre-ordering GOWL and refunding it.

@get2sammyb it took companies a few years to figure out social media users don’t buy products.

@Dman10 How do people not realize that physical music and movies still exist?

@IntrepidWombat I think the distain has developed towards the people crashing outs attitudes and the fact that there’s 10 stories a day about an issue no one can change being posted here just for engagement farming…

@Dman10 Could you elaborate how this is the same? None of those mediums were discontinued physically.

@Imaculado_Lord Its amazing 90% of people dont care about choice could be another way to look at it 🤷‍♂️

No discs… and no disc drive. Better get used to that.

🤣 😂 😜

I kid, I kid! But seriously. We all knew the physical aspect is really just a drop in the bucket. Did anyone expect anything to really change?

Strike my ass lol, this weekend i bought Cronos on sale digital and gonna try to finish it.

@PerpetualBoredom
I’m an old got really the tag is just for fun.
If I’m alive in ten years time I can change to.
Cyber Wars Generation.

@Titntin I hear you and I've often pondered why I keep coming back here myself as its really gone to the dogs but there's yourself and a fair few others I really like to discuss things with so you guys are the only reason to be 100% honest. It sure as hell ain't Sammy and the rest.

As someone who is 95% a physical buyer, it sounds like the PS6 won’t be for me, which is sad as Ive been with Sony since PS1. Potential system cost aside, I wonder if they’ve even considered how those with large physical collections are supposed to make this jump without leaving all their already purchased discs behind.

Equally, they are banking on those who are already 100% digital being already stuck in their eco system and can’t leave for another platform without leaving all their games behind too.

It’s all about control. Locking people in and squeezing more money out of us all.

@IntrepidWombat Not really, especially in the current political climate (at least here in the US), where there's a solid chunk of the population disregarded quantifiable facts and still somehow have a criminal running the country.

So when one sees folks taking a "feelings don't give a **** about your facts", I think there are those that are traumatized by individuals that are conspiratorial. I mean when Circana (formerly known as NPD) released data and Push Square reported on it, folks literally started taking aim at Circana's data reporting, to the point that the data analyst released further supporting data, and people got conspiratorial about that supporting data.

So though there are reasonable physical fans on here, like ShadowRJ who's been articulate and realistic about the situation, you get others that are insufferably infantile, hyperbolic, and entitled.

@Northern_munkey
Thanks, I luv you too 🤣

The physical game movement is going out bad they hoping for the ps6 to be super expensive for won’t it sale to say they won lol.

@AI-Generation that's nice buddy..I feel complete.

I find the idea a bit hilarious that people think they can change PlayStation's mind with a "week long blackout". So protesters avoid buying during that week they will purchase it the week after. Unless it's another case like with Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2 where a protest group was created on Steam to raise their voice against the removal of dedicated servers, yet nearly all of them played the game on launch day.

Either way a few days of a "blackout" won't change Sony's mind.

We'll see with the PS6.

@Nyne11Tyme I feel the same with final fantasy part three. If I can get that on disc and maybe Gen Atlus I'd be content, not happy, but content

@74THAM

Potential system cost aside, I wonder if they’ve even considered how those with large physical collections are supposed to make this jump without leaving all their already purchased discs behind.

The PS4 didn't support any of the previous PlayStation generation discs, yet it's considered as one of the most successful PlayStation consoles. The PS6 will do fine, especially with Xbox being less of a competition in the premium console space.

@Northern_munkey
So glad I completed you.

@TrollOfWar but if the rumours turn to be true then the PS6 will be backwards compatible with the PS4 and PS5. So it’s a different situation, everyone going to PS4 (from PS3) with nothing VS “discriminating” against certain customers who haven’t purchased the game’s their preferred way.

Jumping platform to PC won’t come cheap either. But at least with Steam etc. that library remains the same no matter what PC I’m using.

Out of interest are there any big games coming out on the week of the boycott? If there isn't then it probably won't register at all for Sony.

Mrwhostheboss put out an interesting video today about the gaming landscape. Suggesting less innovation in games due to investors not taking risks on games that aren’t already developed franchises and if the PS6 doesn’t get off to a flying start then developers will prioritise the larger install base on the PS5. It could be Sonys WiiU

@Dman10 I don’t understand your comment..movies are still being released on blu-ray and DVD, and music is still being released on CDs. Sony will cease making games on discs period. This is in no way a benefit or win to anyone that claims to be a gamer whether they buy their games 100% digitally or not. I’ll never cheer or defend having less choices in life. It makes zero sense.

@AI-Generation 🤣

Gamers are complete flakes. All bark and no bite. I'm done, myself. I know I alone won't make a difference, but I'll feel better knowing I'm not supporting these greedy corporate mutants anymore

As expected. Everyone i know IRL buys digital or played the same game for the last 10 years, yet even they are complaining about the disc killing. Its fake FOMO.

Well… yeah. No cr*p. They haven’t stopped producing physical media yet. They haven’t released any new hardware. And ample time hasn’t passed for people’s ps+ subs to end.

Most of the people buying physical media are barely buying any digital games, if any at all. And there hasn’t been a single big first-party (or third party, mostly) release since the announcement. IF sails are to be impacted, you wouldn’t see anything now.

I’m not saying they will see a huge sales plummet. They may, only time will tell. But if ditching physical media drops a lot of sales overtime, it won’t be for a while… and they sure won’t report on it until it’s impacting investors.

Which is why they’re saying this now. They want to appease investors and “market” any positive spin to the naysayers.

Lol. Lmao even.
Just goes to show how much of this "outrage" was all just performative in the end.
But hey at least the "fans" spammed a lot of tweets and youtube comments. That counts for something right?

People already have PS5; if those people stopped buying games and using their PS5 now they would be cutting off their nose to spite their face. This won't hit Sony until next generation comes around and the hardcore fans decide they don't want to chain themselves and their game library to PS for another generation, and though that is not a majority of their customers, it is the people who recommend PS to their more casual friends to set the trend. PS will survive either way, but I think looking at the numbers right now doesn't paint the full picture.

Of course theres going to be some lost revenue but they are planning to claw back with something else.

Perfection. Finally they officially set their stance so we can react accordingly. I'm personally finished with Playstation future support at all.

A profound waste of plastic? One PS5 game uses 55 grams of plastic. Your average plastic soda bottle uses 20 grams of plastic. Sammy, how many times do you buy a drink or something similar that uses plastic? PS5 discs are a once in a lifetime purchase. Meanwhile tons of everyday groceries come in plastic containers. PS5 discs are a drop in the ocean compared to all other plastic uses. Stop blindly believing every piece of anti-physical propaganda you hear.

@74TH4M

@TrollOfWar but if the rumours turn to be true then the PS6 will be backwards compatible with the PS4 and PS5. So it’s a different situation, everyone going to PS4 (from PS3) with nothing VS “discriminating” against certain customers who haven’t purchased the game’s their preferred way.

Less people are affected by the transition now, if the majority of the players buy their games digitally. They can continue playing their digital PS4, PS5 and PS6 games.

On the PS4 everyone transitioning from PS1/PS2 or PS3 had to start from scratch. PS4 could have supported PS1 and PS2 games, as the emulation is there for digital games, but it was more convenient for Sony not to support the discs. Hardly anyone complained about it back then.

@GameCollector84 I think Sammy is referring to "physical games boxes, which will include a digital code inside, like GTA6" being a "waste of plastic".

I also thought the same as you when reading the text, as it's written in a new paragraph. Had to re-read the article to understand that point.

'social media is a bubble'

You know this, we all know this, that's why we get so dissapointed that all gaming media outlets are set up to do little more than curate 'news' and articles from social media. I feel sorry for anyone who didn't live through the 70s, 80s and 90s when gaming journalism was interesting.

I trust that statement about as much as every other bullsh*t report. Starting with how many PS2 they sold. They are so full of sh*t they probably didn't even oversell the DS. It's all propaganda at this point.

They would say its having zero affect whether it was true or not. It's quite funny that everyone commenting here just automatically believes Sonys word.

I think both some people here and Sony are underestimating the brand damage its done and continuing to do. I may very well be still playing on my console. But I'm now considering moving back to PC for next gen. And I'm digital only.

This issue isn't about share prices or sales charts really though, is it? The problem for Sony is the potentially irreparable damage to the Sony brand since their clumsy announcement of digital only coming off the back of several other disastrous PR events. Once your brand starts taking big hits, that's when things start to go pear-shaped. As in the hospitality business, it's customers who no longer appear at your restaurant who know the answer to your problem, not the ones who do still come.

@Rezium I don't know a single person from family, friends or work that still buys DVDs. I think that I myself bought one last over 15 years ago. I actually got rid of 95% of my DVD/Blu-ray collection. But apparently they still release those, my bad.

Eeerr the boycott has not even started it supposed to be in August so wait and I guess 🤣

There’s been plenty of negative feedback and people expressing their desire for Sony to change course. Very telling that this reads as ‘no impact’ for Playstation.

Most of the people whining online are probably PC players who pirate their games anyways.

@Brumblescope It has no impact on their BUSINESS. Many of the people who whine about this don’t even buy PlayStation games anyways.

@Dazzar You’re considering moving back to PC because… hold on… other people are outraged? Do you just adopt the mob mentality du jour?

@Fyz306903 If Sony breaks the 1000 barrier (talking from psychological perspective not actual currency conversion) I think that will be what mainstream media will focus on. The enthusiast sites will scream “I told you so, no physical = no buy”, but that doesn’t mean they are correct.

“Personally, I think it’s a profound waste of plastic, so I hope it makes adjustments accordingly.”

Buying a physical game wastes just as much plastic, plus the materials used for the 4K Blu-ray, but you don’t have a problem with that.

@asdfghjklz For me its a culmination of multiple issues making me feel Sony are becoming more and more anti-consumer. Together with the recent uncaring way they removed 551 Studio Canal purchased films from customers. The physical media deletion, without any reassurance for PS6 library access for those customers or any sign of concern. And an archaic, borderline illegal Refund policy. I just think Sony are making me think twice about spending more money with them as we move into next gen and likely expensive hardware.

@Silenos

This issue isn't about share prices or sales charts really though, is it? The problem for Sony is the potentially irreparable damage to the Sony brand since their clumsy announcement of digital only coming off the back of several other disastrous PR events

Exactly 🤝

I'm baffled with Lin Tao statement as if this is all about Sony revenue and the backlash will quickly take full effect from day 1. She's missing the point as if this is a sprint when it's a marathon. Losing trust from long time userbase will be an irreparable damage for Sony / PS brand in the long run.

And with todays Sony relies a lot on Playstation to keep their bottom line healthy, i'm more baffled with how they approach this issue in a very pedestrian way.

honestly i'd be happy with an add on disc drive like the ps5 pro , so we can play our ps4 and ps5 discs , if going digital makes games release faster then i'd be for it , im curious if you were told since we don't need to release it on disc , we can make games faster and release sooner , i'm sure some people would change their minds.

I feel it has an impact, since they decided to break the silence and say that.

Like in the meme with a dog in a house in fire: it’s fine

After watching this video, it's just nice to know that i'm not the only one who thinks going retro is the best route for physical fans.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=zZq3HVCV4Qo&pp=ugUEEgJlbtIHCQmjCwGHKiGM7w%3D%3D

An old game that i never played would feel like a new game when i get my hands on it for the first time.

@PsBoxSwitchOwner doesn't mean you stop complaining mate. But if you're happy being walked all over without being constantly irritated by it that's ok

@MrGawain
"Seeing how they haven’t stopped selling games on disks yet, how could it affect games sales?"

Nutters on social media claimed they were going to Boycott Sony over the disc issue. As with all online protests, it didn't amount to anything.

@PuppetMaster Awful idea.

Retro games are disgusting prices and are all in the hands of people who want to con the next person.

I've been gaming since the Spectrum, but I only do retro via emulation.

@dodgykebaab I heard there was a massive speculative bubble in the retro games market.

Not so much about conning, but like the people who bought Tesla stocks, Bitcoin or Tulips, they did so not because it was a genuine valuation, but in anticipation of it rising.

The "next person" was essentially doing the same thing!

Didn't the retro bubble burst though? I'm sure I saw a YouTube video about it a year back where some games were a tenth of what people had paid at the height?

@dodgykebaab

Awful idea
Retro games are disgusting prices and are all in the hands of people who want to con the next person.

It's a good idea for gamers who still loves and appreciate physical games.

And a lot of retro games usually have affordable prices. The only ones that has "disgusting prices" usually only for limited edition, rare games, or games with very mint / like brand new condition.

I've been gaming since the Spectrum, but I only do retro via emulation.

Good for you.

@Leinad7 it was a shareholders meeting so addressing it was unavoidable. All they said is that all this noise has had zero impact and there is no need to worry (from a shareholders perspective).

Anyone saying it's "performative" should wait and see the sales of the PS6, which is likely to be overpriced, underpowered AND have no physical media. Not to mention people were planning "protests" later this month. Obviously until then nothing has seen effective results (they're still producing physical media) but I'd wait until the time we actually know will show what's going on in the userbase's mind. Obviously it won't be a majority of users but it could be a relatively substantial hit to profit margins, which will spook investors. Sony are saying this now because this is before the start and they want to make it out be a damp squib.

I know I'll be gaming on my PC for this month (and likely longer without PS5 after seeing games running flawlessly at top settings) and won't be buying a PS6 at all. Even if the loss is relatively small, Sony won't like their continually shrinking profit margins.

Also, imagine coming at this from the perspective of the giant corporation as a fan 😂 this was for the shareholders, but fanboys are still going strong, I see.

Also also, this site has been flip-flopping whenever the wind changes, so I'm sorry if I disregard the worth of individual "pRoFeSSionAL" opinion. Gaming media sites are all on a countdown atm. "Hardcore" gamers who use these sites are leaving in droves due to feeling the disdain "journalists" have for them. Polygon went, so clearly those numbers are enough to take effect on smaller businesses. Whos next?

Again though, the problem isn't physical media itself but rather Sony's piss poor efforts to preserve games across the years. Protections need to be improved for both digital AND physical media.

Im already setting up for selling of most of my Playstation games and products.

Seeing i can't play then when my PS5 dies they don't give any feedback what they do for their physical customers.

They don't even communicate whats there in place to help them play their old library. Worst company every their TV's and phones are not even from Sony anymore so the brand is dead for me.

It's a pity I loved their products and games but the way they refuse to communicate is disgusting.

And all the anti choice people if they treat their customers when you have a choice where to buy you better wait what will happen if your completely locked in where too buy.

*Edit people think its just about the physical games its the lack of care and respect towards their customers. Zero communication after they said at first PS6 still would have physical options.

@SEVENTEENSOILS For me the blatant disrespect of saying nothing is what shows how they are not to be trusted.

If they change their user agreement with whatever they want your cooked. Most of their customers are already treated as trash lately.

You know what? I'm not going to care anymore, I'll just buy digital games when I need too (mostly for videos unless it's something I really want to play) I don't need a PS6, I have enough games to play right now, not to mention the physical games that are coming out before 2028 and all the physical games that have come out the past decades. Once I've gotten my mojo back I'll petition my local senators for better consumer laws online and anti monopoly lawsuits, not to mention telling anyone who asks not to Playstation. I'm ok with finishing my current backlog before 2028 then switching to a balance of Playstation, Nintendo, and PC. Besides all this, I don't think there's anything else I can do.

@dodgykebaab I know i buy more physical games in 2 months they you probably buy in a year.

But the PS6 is coming there is no way to play your old games which I payed for so why upgrade and stay on their platform when I have to start from zero.

You can even change your old account name without losing your trophies that doesn't even work.

So it's expensive, zero feedback, no respect to the (brand loyal) players and as a physical buyer you start from zero.

Why would you buy a PS6 that is overpriced has less option and a company that does not show any decency towards their customers.

@PuppetMaster The biggest hit will come when the PS6 comes. They are backing on the casual players that changes platform when its cheaper somewhere else.

They also forget one big thing if your complete physical library become obsolete why would you ever buy or trust a Sony product ever again.

@Dogbreath
"Didn't the retro bubble burst though? "

I just looked at sold copies of Story of Thor on Mega Drive on eBay. £50 for a 30 year old game.

@Flaming_Kaiser

1) Don't assume there will be no Drive add-on for PS6.
2) Digital games on PS5 are in many cases cheaper than Steam. For examples see StellerBlade, Sonic Wings Reunion & Kandagawa Jet Girls. Go on, have a look at the store pages right now and let me know how that went.
3) Don't assume the size of my games collection. Have a look in Issue 33 of GamesTM at the collectors corner feature from 2004 and get back to me.

@tofuman86 Well for me i have a fast library of physical games ill be buying the bare basic games I want physically and I wont be upgrading to the PS6.

It's expensive, probably underpowered, no options, no feedback for the customer, paying for online and a gamelibrary that will be completely useless with the PS6 why would you ever buy a PS6 as a physical collector.

At this point even a external diskdrive will probably not make me look back. Why the clear lack of communication. They dropped a bomb without any form of communication its disgusting.

This entire debate has NOTHING to do with financials.

To be frank, I don’t care about how it affects Sony’s finances.

This is about consumer rights, and true ownership.
And also about the preservation of games and art.

Physical media is necessary for the customer. Screw Sony and their opinions on it.

@dodgykebaab How many weeks are we along they don't say anything they don't talk its a joke.

If I would drop a bomb like that the first thing would be making my customers informed that there is a solution for them.

But with the new Sony there is nothing like that all the great leaders are gone and so is the respect towards their customers.

And that 30 year old game still works offline and without any nonsense. Why we had things happen like Ubisoft pulling games of their bought games digitally.

@Queesh hit the nail on the head. Glad others are beginning to see the scope of the issue with Sony (and all the consoles).

@tofuman86

discs with full game playable offline on day one without any patches needed (actually that's the only option making sense, yet vast part of developers/publishers have long abandoned such work approach - not really SONY's fault)

93% of PS5 disc can be played offline
https://gamerant.com/ps5-discs-work-offline/

@tofuman86 I have a IKEA storage has enough space for my games no need to move.

@Flaming_Kaiser I can only say good luck to Sony. They already burning their last goodwill with a lot of PS fans with this decision to kill physical games. If they think casual gamers like the ones who plays Fortnite, Roblox, Minecraft, Fifa, COD etc will buy a $1000 PS6 at launch as well Sony 1st party games on day 1 then they will have a hard time selling PS6.

@PuppetMaster I think so too but Sony as a respected brand is already dead. The sold everything of from TV, phones their portable musical gear is gone or costs a insane amount.

@PuppetMaster I think they're working on the assumption that people have nowhere to go and hence will reluctantly stay with PS. Doesn't make any sense to switch to Xbox because their situation is even worse (e.g. the rumoured disc to digital program practically confirms Helix has no disc drive, an outage can kill access to your physical games, physical releases are mostly Key Discs) meanwhile Sony doesn't consider Switch 2 or PC to be competition to PS.

It will be a combination of things that destroys these companies’ good will with their base, death by 1000 cuts. And this is only like cut #783, let em cooooook, I am certain they’ll keep piling on the enshittification like everyone else is

Loud minority on the internet isn't reality shocker, that's why the odyssey is gonna be a billion dollar movie and why Sony will keep selling a ***** ton of digital games and consoles

They lost one lifelong fan in me then🤷‍♂️

They will have factored in the tiny minuscule amount of crybabies and deemed it worth it

Sony can't see any impact? Well I guess we have to spell it out for them then. To all those physical games lovers: just email Sony. That's what I did. Very politely, I informed them I will not be buying a PS6 because of this, not its expected price. I did the same with Remedy and Alan Wake 2, I just politely informed them that I would be happy to buy their game if they released it on a disc, which they did. Also did the same with Rockstar about GTA 6. Will it work? I doubt it, but I think its the best I could do.

Wait until your ps6 is out. My love for consoles means the discs that go with them, and lending my nephew and brother my games.
I’m already PC so will be zero point in a PS6

I think they will see impact. And pretend it’s fine.
They also didn’t see impact for long when they messed up in PS3 generation.

@IllusiveMan Yeah, the Apple idea of their phones being leased for a monthly payments, it’s ridiculous. If you cannot pay so much for a phone, it means you cannot afford it and should look for something else. But Apple is state of mind. People would sell their organs to get one iPhone to show off they have it.

This will not work with consoles.
If one is too expensive there is always alternative.
Switch 2 will be 50% of PS6 price, and runs most 3rd party games just like PS, plus they have dozens exclusives every year. Not 1 of 2.
Dozens.

What Sony will face is some of their customers move to Switch and Helix.

@Llamageddon you tell shareholders what they want to hear. There are ways to not tell the whole truth

I’m actually looking at this whole debacle as a positive (for me). I quite simply won’t participate in an all digital ecosystem for gaming. I grew up in the 80s and 90s and the physical side of it is a major aspect of what I enjoy. I have loads of retro games covering most previous generations that I still need/want to play, so my gaming needs are covered for decades to come. Plus, there aren’t many modern games I even like, so I doubt I’ll miss much.

My bigger worry is if Nintendo follow suit. I might struggle to miss out on their big franchises which are my favourite in gaming. On the Sony side, the biggest test for me will be the new Fumito Ueda game. If it’s as good as his previous ones, I’m not sure I’ll be able to ignore it.

@Leinad7 I totally agree but that just makes Sony the same as every other publicly traded company.

Translation: “we are unable to measure the indirect effects this will have on our business and uninterested in finding out.”

"Sony says"

what else would they say?! Cell processsing is the future!? dohkay

@MrGawain i can already tell you , yes. and the fact that people ran out and over spent on base ps5's during a pandemic shows that people are willing to pay for a video game console. and they were paying over 1,000 dollars per console on ebay for a base ps5. we still have no idea how much the ps6 is going to cost in the first place. i feel like people are all upset over something that hasn't even been officially shown off or anything even known about yet.

I've technically been getting out of gaming for quite some time, but I play more on my retro systems anymore if I do go back. As for my PS5...I buy retail because I like having the case and the artwork and like seeing a growing library...this is something that I grew up with though since the Atari days...and I only purchase movies on bluray or DVD...I stream them, but if I like them, I buy them. As for music, I still buy CD's, as I know that you never own songs that you download and can lose them quickly. Even if you download your items (movies and tv episodes are already on my PS3)...once the system goes, if you can't move the items over to the new system you replace...you lose all of the items that were downloaded...games included...especially if you can't hook the console up online to change your licenses over to it. It's going to happen, and once the consoles go all digital only, you'll see it happen...it just won't be for 20+ years down the line.

Also, fads go and come back. I've been seeing people going back to buying VHS tapes again...why, who knows, but this is the younger generation doing it. Records even made a comeback, granted it's for the retro feel to the young generation. Eventually, everything comes back again.

Playstation won't feel any impact for a while. The discs are still out in the stores for PS5, and until the stores themselves stop carrying them, people won't feel it yet. But, as I still go to GameStop, and the last time I did, my store is over-whelmed with playstation games...mainly PS2, PS3, PS4 and PS5...the shelves are over-filled with the used games and they even have more in the backroom. They've said that since Sony announced the digital era, people have been getting rid of anything Sony...not sure what that's proving (it's proving nothing, as Sony already got your money for it), and I'm sorry to say, that if people stop buying the discs in the stores for PS5...you're giving Sony what they want too.

As a gamer, I'm disappointed that Sony is making this decision to stop making discs, and I'm not wanting to pay over $600 for a console that's digital only, so I guess I'll be one of the ones only owning PS5 and down, Xbox One and down and Switch and down. I'm not really in a hurry to purchase any more consoles anyways...my kids don't even make the Switch worth the money.

Physical media has already been dragged through the mud for years and years, Sony won’t see any backlash from that for a good while.
Again, physical media has already been handicapped and demonized.

The only time you’ll see a difference is if physical media gives people more options on a regular basis. A manual, stickers, a digital copy (like some dvds/albums).

They could make game-key cartridges for a proprietary slot on the PS6 and sell them in a box. I would buy it.

I don't know if the physical thing is Sony's singular concern here. The PS5 is a far cry from the PS4, the latter being one of the greatest consoles of all time to rival the PS2, and the former being a damp squib and merely a shadow of what PlayStation used to be.

The physical media, live service, Bungie and Crunchyroll stuff...that's only really the tip of the iceberg.

I mean, I already bought the PS5, I'm gonna continue to use it. We'll see more of an impact once the PS6 actually releases, once the discs actually stop. Some people will boycott now but the big tell will be how many people actually buy the new console versus continuing to use what they already have.

@Imaculado_Lord 99 percent of the public probably don't even play PlayStation a small minority in reality. Its definitely my last PlayStation generation

@twitchtvpat A small minority probably did thats because they stayed hidden inside like obedient puppies and needed something to fill the hours

What I don't understand is that if they're making record profits, as it sits with both digital and physical, why change it up to maximize greed? Just carry on being massively successful and keep both. Stupid.

@Areyouthatdumb i think you highly under estimate how many people over paid for ps5's lol. if they didn't people wouldn't have been using bots to buy all the ps5's up. parents , people who clearly just didn't want to wait a year to get a ps5. i'm curious in how many people who say they aren't going to buy a ps6 caves in when they see what they are currently doing is doing nothing, and fomo kicks in , i think 20-30% of people saying they'll sit out , will end up getting one.

@Oneluckyfarmer Not when it's on the receipt and it fades or the codes are worthless. That happens on some. They aren't always on the paper slip with the date or the same as wallet top ups with the scratch to reveal. But it varies per store. With a disk I don't have to worth about a code. Digital sure i don't have to search for a disk but with licensing and entering a code and it messes up so much fun isn't it. XD

Dealing with refunds/policies and accounts is annoying. Physical, sell it if hate it, not some other services to get money back from PC keys or refunds on console (before downloading and if people have good refund policies and laws in their country countries have to follow). People better look at screenshots/videos and have a keen eye for what something is to their liking without playing a game (luckily many games play or have formulaic design these days, not all but many do or it's because they click away in their engines XD) if they exist on the store/Youtubers that cover what a game is and pay for it themselves to cover it.

SNES/Genesis, Saturn, and more Satellite gaming, not related but I mean could be compared to cloud these days. There is a reason I research things.

PS+, nostalgia/anything else. Black Ops/GTA/anything else. Customers are stupid, companies know this. Data, emotion, etc. anything is possible.

People can have a NAS & their own TV shows/movies/music if they want to not just for a home theater but taking control of their media. Or just skip media, but companies have new waves of audiences all the time they don't care. It won't reach most people we all know this.

Some people would rather a disk to have an install when they want, like seeing things on their shelf not just merch, it's like if we got given a USB/SD Card (Tapwave Zodiac had SD Cards) with game on it, it'd be same thing/mentality to use them with/without DRM. Not time limit to the use of the wallet top up or code in a box or the thermal ink on a receipt & fading.

Got few 1.0 disks/carts for games on many systems, new games at that time, remasters, ports, remakes, it varies on company & game it is. Across all platforms, rare but still happened. Not a large sample size of games but still.

I can install a PSP/360 game if I want or not. Ripping the disks.

Moving the digital to another device, saves that aren't blocking from moving happened even on PS3, PSP and 360 via racing games I know of. The odd others but it varies. On PS3 I can tell per certain games, backup saves and whatever profile data that can't be moved but can be installed/deleted or reinstalled from the disk/digital.

Even Spyhunter Vita restricted me moving the game card between Vitas. Gran Turismo or Forza of PS3/360/PSP did as well.

I have wiki pages on those details specifically for those games, I know what I encountered and tested. I have been digging up a lot of details most players of those games don't because I uncover them by accident. Key features of the games not detailed, memory card in or not and modes (Perfect Dark N64 had that, GT4 and Tourist Trophy do for memory cards in PS2 and arcade mode only so no campaign mode access, trading car duping I've seen people do, memory card or profile/hard drive or device IDs, save file moving between consoles, DRM server online checks between updates or offline patches as last updates for the games and what features were removed, or kept and reworked while everyone else moves on).

Part 2:

Even writing up the demonstration videos for the GT series, no one cares to write them up. I do because I might as well, I have nothing better to do then waste a few hours detailing them and wikis for any modding in niche spaces for some games. No one else will.

Whether for trophies, save data uploading online, car duplication, there is many reasons companies did this. That's just a few easy ones to pick out.

DRM or not to consider for disks or digital either. Online syncing, accounts to mess with on modern consoles made me ignore my Xbox One, might my PS4 as well. Xbox One & Windows are annoying to use for accounts and UI, navigation, visually look ugly.

Cloud temp files, digital and how much licensing, lock outs, etc. I so much fun right. Modern devices are so great right? Luckily I don't care for modern media and it being so boring to play, let alone the business practices.

Yeah so love all that. XD

It's up to how companies handle it then 'possibilities' out there it's what they do about it that's the annoying part.

I'm not trying to convince, just saying what's out there that I've heard or uncovered. People can do whatever they want.

@Flaming_Kaiser

I have 40 year old games that DON'T work now (Famicom Cartridges) and if it wasn't for emulation, those games would be gone.

The fact is digital games last longer than carts/discs.
Nintendo and Sony both offer every single digital game you've ever bought on any system still to this day.

Ever buy a Wii/PS3 game? You can still download it now.

Xbox is a different story as they do actually kill future downloads, but that's why I don't buy their products.

I've lost a total of 3 PS3 boxed games. 1 I have no idea where it is. 1 I loaned to a friend and never got back, 1 got damaged.

None of that is an issue with digital.

@dodgykebaab ai have gameboy cardridges that work i have PS1 games that work. I have SNES cartridges that work. Is it my fault you lend stuff to your at that he doesn't show respect for your property.

@Mythologue PS3 era in a nutshell is coming up.

@Leinad7 If Nintendo makes a Console that is on par with PS5 and portable too why would we need a PS6.

Can someone please explain to me how people can justify paying $100-120AUD off PS Store for every new game when you can get them $80-100 release day? I thought everyone is struggling these days with inflation? Crimson Desert $110 PS Store, picked it up for $50 on marketplace. Plus I can resell or trade it myself. To me this is just common sense but obviously this isn't the norm. Are people just really that lazy these days?

@Flaming_Kaiser Nintendo just made a console that outsold PS5. They also make more games. More often release.

@Dman10 To this day I have not bought a single digital music track or "bought" a single movie in any digital service.

Subscription services, yes, but what I actually buy to have are physical, for the very obvious reasons.

Baffling seeing this commentfield and with how many defeatist apologists there are being completely fine with - for example - PS6 being a paperweight in a few decades and all of it's digital games gone along with it.

I truely thought there'd be a limit where gamers have integrity and stop accepting horrible scummy anti-consumer business practices... but depressing as it is, there does not seem to be any limit to how far into the gutter people will drive the whole industry by voting yes to every terrible standard with zero fight or pushback...

The standards in this industry sure have been entirely lost and the good times in AAA markets really are gone for good... sad, sad times.

@Cry_Zero Same. Have had every Playstation to date and was a PSN subscriber from the beginning. Cancelled PSN during the Helldivers 2 fiasco where they made it clear they have entirely abandoned caring for their customers by completely shutting out over a 100 countries just to try and force PSN account adoption to PC users.
Combine to that the petty censorship of games on their platforms making devs compromise their games, their price hikes, horrible decisions of just trying to make live service after live service without managing to read the room in any way and I had already decided PS6 is the first Playstation I will never own.. and then they quit physical media.. hah.. It will take a lot for me to go back to anything Sony related.

Even if I had more digital games than physical ones, all of my favorites I have on physical and NEVER even for a second considered the digital only edition of the console.
So now my digital % and physical % PS6 games will be the same... and that's 0%

I genuinely don't understand how so many people can be completely fine with BS like this... but I guess I shouldn't be surprised when the vast majority of people pre-order anything like mindless lemmings based on whatever marketing they see and therefor have enabled broken games being launched, unpolished games, endless greed with their behavior of giving publishers profits before any product is ever even out.

...and here we are... almost all beloved big AAA names gone from cherished to garbage... and soon everyone will subscribe to online hardware access to play streamed games and pay pay pay until every single game just goes poof when the companies decide whatever reason to either throttle your speeds, limit your playtime or remove your games at any whim whatsoever...

"I dOn'T sEe An IsSuE I LiEk DiGiTaL"

...sigh...

Sorry for the rant, I'm just so disappointed. Been playing games since I was a toddler with my Godfather's Atari and Intellivision and really pains me to see how much in the gutter everything about this industry is... and it's been such a slow transition it's like "boiling a frog" and the youngest gamers never even saw the golden era of gaming so of course they won't know any better about ... well... It says a lot I can't plug in my old consoles, like NES 8bit from 40 years ago and still play just fine. But next generation's Playstation games will never be shown to future generations, or re-visited at an older age by those who are young today.

Either way, I hope people understand buying a PS6 is pre-ordering a PS6 shaped paperweight. Consider that, everyone, if thinking about building some game library to that system.