@TrollOfWar I really don’t think that’s what it means. Totoki Speaking of monetisation of its customer base is common corporate strategy and vocabulary. I don’t think the guy is under the assumption customers aren’t going to want anything in exchange or expect less value. Monetising user it’s important can also mean accomodating your customers requests and demands. It’s an interview with the WSJ not IGN.
@naruball True, I’ve no good answer for you on that one. The biggest challenge to next generation is price. I can only guess Sony has the numbers (even prior to rampocalypse) I’m guessing knocking off an optical drive cost and offering a larger subsidy due to digital distribution is part of the equation. I think every platform holder will struggle next generation, we’ll probably see a greater push for streaming from a controller or some cut down hardware. Again my point wasn’t a comment on physical media’s feasibility or desirability, just pointing out film, music and games have quite different physical retail economics.
Bautista looks incredible for his age but isn’t the recasting supposed to accelerate production. How long does it take Bautista to bulk up to Kratos size?
@RobN I’m being facetious, I don’t genuinely believe any company would write a cheque based on public sentiment of sales of Halo. That said who really knows how Microsoft are valuing its IP. I remember when Microsoft was pitching a Halo film demanding millions in up front licensing fees and 15% take of the box office. They even hired people to wear full Master Chief Spartan armour to hand deliver the screenplay. It’s probably preferable these days to quote ‘engagement hours’ rather than sales numbers.
I agree it certainly adds to the consumer doom loop and they aren’t pulling reporting these numbers because the division has suddenly turned around. However I do think the negativity extends into other commercial areas and limits how Microsoft can manage the process and messaging.
@naruball Sry don’t really understand the follow up question? Physical media is just disc but how the two industries arrive at that point is quite different. Both involve selling physical discs but their profit margins, supply chain rules and distribution are quite different. So gaming companies are far more financially penalised at the front and back end of the distribution chain than film studios. If you’re interested look into differences between wholesale return credits which is typically how films are retailed. My point isn’t what feasible or desirable but that gaming companies absolutely get it but are currently far more financially incentivised to drop physical than film or music.
Definitely looking forward to Phantom Blade Zero more. The graphics on this look incredible but somehow the first Black Myth gameplay didn’t click for me and I dropped it, still not quite sure why it didn’t connect.
@naruball I don’t think it’s a case of film and music ‘get it’ but gaming companies don’t. Rather different industries with different products and economics. I also don’t think we want gaming to adopt Hollywood style production.
@Art_Vandelay Live service at its core is just dlc and monetisation. I’m not sure how long trends typically last but it’s been around now for almost decades just without the catchy label. What large multiplayer focused games aren’t basically live service at this point. Some of Sony’s games have adapted well other products a disaster. The problem was trying to artificially force it and having a mandate to invest. I agree chasing live service has been an unmitigated disaster, however being open to invest in interesting live service projects should certainly be on the table.
@get2sammyb Are we judging Hulst based on his decisions or current circumstances? Shuhei green lit Concord, he has himself confirmed as much. Now should that project been cancelled earlier, certainly in hindsight. It does however illustrate how far back some of these decisions reach.
It certainly doesn’t look good, he has been in charge now for some time. That said there is a habit of laying problems at the feet of whoever is currently in charge. I still see people blaming Hulst for all matter of decisions that probably weren’t his and is stuck managing. Concord wasn’t a Hulst project but started with Shuhei, that hasn’t stopped people laying the blame with Hulst. So how many of these are legacy issues. Without greater transparency of decisions that are solely his it’s hard to ascertain exactly how much blame should be apportioned. Hulst has taken some good decisions like stopping PC or Multiplatform releases for anything other than live service. Personally I think the launch line up of the PS6 will be Hulst’s legacy and the barometer to be judged by, if he last that long.
Wolverine looks like and will probably be a blast to play. Much like a popcorn flick at the cinema there is no need to overthink it. Insomniac games have nearly always been pretty decent. I imagine it will sell just fine between release and Xmas.
@PanFriedSoup The CCP isn’t involved and certainly doesn’t dictate development themes. Game development work largely as it does anywhere with final products submitted to regulatory agencies for approval prior to certification for sale. Wuxia themed games would actually be a fraction of all games produced by Chinese developers. Most of it is mobile games or F2P style stuff. The reason you’re probably seeing more Wuxia style games is higher profile marketed games. Period dramas and Wuxia are incredibly popular within China. I imagine most game development is funded locally and choosing popular themes is easier to attract funding. The success of Wukong will only accelerate more development of the genre and higher profile larger Wuxia games. Historical fantasy film, tv and games are an easier approval than anything deemed controversial by their regulators. I imagine investors aren’t going to risk funding any games with elements of modern political or LGBTQ themes.
@GirlVersusGame So it’s a Chinese game therefore the state is involved, that’s their assumption. Oh dear. Actually the CCP have zero oversight during development, S-Game isn’t some massive State Owned enterprise. The studio will submit their product to regulators ahead of release for sale approval in China. Exactly the same process more or less as Europe or the US. Why do people have this myopic view about China. We’re only going to see more numerous higher quality products as the industry there matures and gains experience.
@ApostateMage I mean there is a fundamental difference in that those games were released, at full price with serious structural flaws and broken in parts but were still shipped. Wolverine isn’t even out yet, this people deliberately attempting to frame the gameplay and game in a negative light for engagement. If anything Mind Eye had mostly benefit of the doubt till it was shipped.
I didn’t even know this was a thing till this article. Feels like we’re scrapping the barrel a bit if we need to go through every language posting to find negative sentiment. Ah clicks…..engagement, got it.
@Mes_Urson The new Street Fighter looks fun. Unfortunately even my tolerance for dubious martial arts films was stretched watching the new MK2 film, it’s definitely a 2am on streaming can’t sleep type of film.
@ButteredCrumpet I don’t really have strong views on what difficulty people should play games on. I just found the original post telling people that their achievement trophies are meaningless a bit mean spirited, especially when something that can be genuinely meaningful to someone else costs you absolutely nothing. You’re arguing that trophies are meaningless while also saying that taking them away makes a game objectively less and that people are therefore entitled to them. That seems like a strange amount of importance to place on something you’ve just said is meaningless. I also think you’re conflating accessibility with recognition. Making a game accessible means removing barriers to experiencing the content, it doesn’t necessarily mean every difficulty has to give exactly the same recognition. Otherwise completion and challenge effectively become the same thing. I’m all for making games as accessible as possible, but I don’t think that requires telling people that their achievements are meaningless or that every difficulty has to recognise achievement in exactly the same way.
@ButteredCrumpet That argument feels a little reductive. A marathon medal isn’t necessarily a measure of who worked hardest relative to everyone else, it recognises you completed the race. A disabled runner may have overcome far greater obstacles to do so, but that doesn’t make an able bodied runner’s medal undeserved. The same applies to trophies. Their value can come from what they represent to the person earning them, rather than from proving they suffered more than everyone else. I’m not sure it’s fair to tell people how meaningless something should be.
@lazymike No split screen would absolutely ruin it. The puzzles are designed to be completed by people in seperate locations. It’s very carefully designed to limit communication at points both visually and auditory. So no discord or party chat either. Split screen would trivialise half of the puzzles and the end game.
Felt this way about Death Stranding. Loved the original but the sequel lost its magic even though objectively it’s does most things better. Loved the slow challenging exploration of the first and it felt less of a focus in the sequel.
Honestly feels like the games industry wants to follow a Hollywood business model. Spin up a production then after it’s completed everyone goes their own way. There is no question games benefit from teams that have been together a long time and specialists within shouting distance that work on in-house engines. Sad to see these guys treated as disposable.
@GirlVersusGame ha it’s cause we have a slow life down here. In a good way. Nothing is hurried much and we are usually an optimistic bunch. Definitely strange times over there. Reminds me of that dad joke. How are things in Moscow these days? Can’t complain.
@GirlVersusGame When it comes to Russia it’s very different and uniquely complex situation. I know VPN usage there is quite common, especially in recent times. Sony completely exited the market in 2022 along with a lot of companies. I would not be surprised if bans there are very common. I imagine the strict sanctions, regulations and payment processing restrictions meant it’s far more difficult and risky to operate. Xbox also left the market didn’t they. Think Steam stopped processing credit card payments.
As for censorship I’m not sure Sony is any different really than other platforms at this stage. Most games that had had cuts or forced restrictions are mandatory by the countries local laws. Religious sensibilities or political views. Wasn’t Stalker 2 on Steam banned in Russia and purchasers potentially face legal action. Navigating that environment from a regulatory compliance standpoint must be a nightmare for companies. I’m sure there are a few oddities that occur only on Sony but I really don’t think it’s the company acting unilaterally for the purposes of censorship for censorship sake or purification of our mortal souls.
I completely agree Sony has a lot more to do with customers digital rights and flexibility of purchases, all companies do frankly.
@PaperAlien Rockstar could not care in the slightest about Sony’s physical disc online problems. They are selling only digital by choice only on consoles. I imagine the Netflix announcement is hype for the mainstream and casual audience that hasn’t looked at a gaming website in years.
@GirlVersusGame I agree with the sentiment, not being able to change region is really detrimental. It’s technically against the ToS but do we actually know of any bans on PSN for using accounts outside of a location? There must be millions of users in this situation and it seems unofficially tolerated. I absolutely agree though Sony needs to address this issue. Even if the solution isn’t perfect it’s another digital only problem that should be addressed.
I’ve personally had issues with Apple when purchasing regional content like films suddenly being unavailable after changing regions.
Sony can’t do much in cases of regional censorship, it’s legally required to comply with local laws in countries it operates. Even Steam you have games that vary in content or availability by region due to censorship. Lots of people used to change regions to take advantage of different pricing, I know there have been a few changes so perhaps less prevalent now.
@ShadowRJ There was always going to be a contingent that actively took their anger out online. There are lots of questions but they mostly revolve around a yet unannounced console. I wouldn’t expect any further information till the PS6 is officially announced. From Sony’s perspective it’s probably preferable to have this announcement out far in advance of any new console reveal.
@zebric21 There are quite a few Digital Foundry videos comparing various upscalers. Hmmm I’m not sure what you mean regarding AMD. They were not making any meaningful progress on their own product. Sony decided to push ahead independently which ended in a joint collaboration. FSR 3 and 4 are quite different, FSR 3 relies on conventional non-AI algorithms for edge detection and pixel blending. FSR 4 uses machine learning models built to leverage dedicated AI accelerators like FP8 found natively on newer architectures (like RDNA 4). PSSR 2 and FSR 4 stem from the same core algorithmic foundation developed via Sony and AMD’s joint machine learning collaboration.
They are co-developing further if you look into project amethyst.
@Brundleflies21 “ Even the numerous editions for Tokon just reek of stale, foul odoured greed”.
Street Fighter II for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System launched in North America on August 1992 costing $74.99 USD. (approx $170 inflation adjusted).
The standard edition of Tokon in 2026 costs $59.99 USD. The most expensive is $99.
You could buy three almost copies of Tokon for the same price a single copy of SF2 cost inflation adjusted.
@somnambulance Death Stranding 1 was amazing. Traversal genuinely felt like an accomplishment. That feeling of heading out into the unknown accompanied by an incredible soundtrack.
@kantaroo Yup, if we are heading towards only owning digital products then companies need to be more transparent and accountable for what they are selling us and giving us more control over what we do own. Also it’s not that I don’t think Sony won’t gain more control over its ecosystem/ customers. I just don’t think it’s going to operate like it’s in a vacuum. It’s a business who presumably wants to sell us a $1000 dollar PS6 which is a much different proposition than a $399 PS5. They need to give us a reason to buy it. Sorry for the long post, you bothered to lay out your case, figured I try and provide a bit more context.
@kantaroo (continued) You've also listed anti-consumer behaviour such as keeping prices artificially high or running fewer sales. My question is simply, why would Sony do that?
Sony makes a significant amount of money from third party digital sales. Most of the products on PSN cost Sony nothing to develop, nothing to manufacture and virtually nothing to distribute. From an economic perspective, discounting is often in Sony's interest because they're trying to maximise profit, not necessarily maintain the highest sticker price. Low marginal distribution costs, price elasticity of demand and intertemporal price discrimination all help explain why digital storefronts regularly discount older games. Sometimes selling ten copies at half price is more profitable than selling three at full price.
That's also why I think the burden of proof sits with the claim that prices will materially increase. What's the mechanism? What evidence suggests Sony becomes more profitable by abandoning pricing strategies that have been successful across digital marketplaces for years? Greater market power could, in theory, change incentives, but that doesn't automatically mean it will.
Personally, I like physical media. I think it's one of the console's unique selling points and I hope Sony continues to support it. The bad faith takes get a bit tiring though, and I think they distract from issues consumers should be more concerned about, like digital ownership rights, licensing and game preservation.
I realise I haven't really addressed your point about the second-hand market. I don't think it materially affects the pricing of new digital games. As far as I'm aware, publishers don't sit there looking at second hand trade-in values when pricing a game. Internal metrics like demand decay, product age, seasonal promotions and revenue optimisation seem far more likely to drive pricing decisions. That doesn't mean I'm unsympathetic to people who rely on trade-ins to reduce the cost of buying new games. Losing that option would absolutely be worse for consumers. Apologies for the long read, if you got here.
@kantaroo My original post was a specific response to the claim that PSN prices would increase directly and disproportionately as a consequence of Sony dropping physical media, and why I don't think that's likely. Primarily because publishers set their own prices and generally prefer digital sales. You're saying I've failed to understand or consider other factors, but then proceed to move the goalposts into a broader discussion around monopolistic pricing and answer your own questions as to why this is the case. I'll at least try to give my take on the points you've raised.
I think it's worth clarifying up front that regulators and courts don't currently consider digital storefronts within hardware ecosystems to be monopolistic by default. Sony having complete control over its own ecosystem, even if it became adorably all digital, isn't automatically monopolistic in the eyes of regulators, so I think we should be careful about using that as a starting assumption. Competition authorities generally look at the wider market, where Sony competes with Xbox, Nintendo and lesser extent PC storefronts like Steam. Antitrust law is obviously complex, nuanced and subject to change, and neither of us can presume to know the next landmark legal ruling.
On pricing, publishers largely dictate what their games sell for. That's why new third party releases tend to launch at broadly the same price across PlayStation, Xbox and PC. As long as publishers continue releasing games across competing platforms, I think it's fair to assume those prices will remain broadly aligned. That's not to say prices can't go up, just that I don't see a convincing reason why PSN would suddenly or disproportionately diverge from the rest of the market simply because PlayStation no longer sells discs.
@electrolite77 I agree with some your sentiment. PC may have gotten easier to use but are still a ways off the simplicity of consoles. Steam Machine OS is a good start. ‘There’s never been an instance where less consumer choice has benefitted the consumer’ - you are correct, this will have consequences and negatively affect consumers who predominantly purchase 2nd hand games and this is unique to consoles. It’s unfortunate but I don’t believe the 2nd hand market is Sony’s reason for this change. I agree the company has run the numbers and expect a small percentage to leave the ecosystem with this policy shift or at least buy fewer games. There is a financial offset but that doesn’t necessarily equate to current customers paying more. It’s hyperbole to suggest all the company wants is casuals and whales to bleed dry. I mean do we say that about Steam? Sony’s primary purpose with this change is to maximise returns by eliminating or reducing retailers split of each new sale. This does not change the price the consumer pays, it does affect how consumer purchases its products. Clearly that’s not acceptable to some. ‘Any discounts will be entirely down to their largesse’ this is fair but I’d say that’s the same now wherever we turn. Sony will have a mandate over the frequency of sales and promotions on its storefront. That doesn’t mean it’s immune from competition. It also doesn’t mean it has any more control over publishers setting prices on PSN than it does on Steam. The only difference being publishers vastly prefer digital sales so will clearly welcome this change. I truly believe more needs to be done regarding digital purchases and customer rights, it’s pointless for me to suggest Sony is no worse than Valve or Apple etc. They all need to do better in this regard. If any of them wanted to truly innovate and lead then vastly improving digital rights of purchases should be a priority.
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@Leinad7 I’m sorry, but you really have fundamentally misunderstood how digital storefronts operate. Sony already has full control over its digital store, its has since the beginning, this isn’t new or affected by physical sales. PlayStation for the most part does not set prices on its store. It acts as the merchant of record but the prices for all games are set by the publisher. Outside of first party titles it has no control over pricing. It operates and manages sales but publishers opt into and agree discount rates. If prices increase for games it’s because publishers across the industry believe they can charge more, it has nothing to do with Sony unless they are publishing the game. The reason publishers and platform holders prefer digital is because their sales are more profitable as there is no retailer.
Sony are dropping physical sales to make more money along with the publisher on every digital sale. Sales of the PS6 are irrelevant, as are player counts. Development costs increasing is industry wide and affects all publishers, hence they’d like more of each sale rather than given GameStop a slice.
@ShadowRJ You are largely correct. The PS6 launch success will depend on the same factors as all previous hardware launches before it. Price, launch line up and announced 1st year exclusives.
That said unfortunately hardware components have never been as disproportionately expensive as now, we’ve never had a generation where hardware has substantially increased over its lifetime. We may see a completely different strategy and platform holders forgo a traditional approach, lower sales expectations and opt for a far longer cross generational cycle.
A weak launch line up or high retail price will have far more impact than if the console contains an optical disc drive.
@Rodimusprime13 Sony going all digital will not “push prices higher” for new games. Prices aren’t set by Sony for 99% of available games. That not how it’s storefront works. Primarily they are doing this so they and publishers retain a higher percentage of each sale without having to split it with retailers.
Secondly Sony will not wipe your library or account if you don’t log it for two years. Stop spreading misinformation. All companies that operate in the EU need to accommodate local laws. In Sony’s T&Cs it’s 3 years + 6 months and they may close your account not will. It’s also been in t&c for 17 years already and all companies have some form of this clause.
@Leinad7 I think you fundamentally do not understand how digital storefronts operate. Why will new game prices increase disproportionately on Sony’s platform if physical sales are eliminated?
Also Microsoft buying two of the largest publishers is not analogous to Sony ceasing physical sales on its own platform. That is why you are probably not hearing anything.
@Zuljaras Valve actively fought this through several courts when a French consumer group tried to push through this exact policy. Valve fought it all the way to the supreme court and won, so unfortunately this is basically a non starter in the EU.
At issue was a clause in Steam’s terms and conditions prohibiting the resale and transfer of digitally purchased games. UFC Que Choisir argued that this clause unlawfully restricted consumer rights and demanded its removal.
French Supreme Court (Cour de cassation) docket no 23-13-738.
No one showed up for these games, the sales clearly showed this. It’s ridiculous how we romanticise Japan Studio, and this is from someone that was around and purchased a large number of their games at launch. Did they have a few great teams and games, sure. However most people didn’t buy their games and that was in an environment with far less competition. PS5 is far better serviced in 2026 by doing deals with incredible indie studios, like they did with the Sea of Star devs and highlighting indies on PSN and select development of games like Astrobot.
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Re: 'We Don't Need to Aggressively Sell the Console': Sony CEO Says Timing of Memory Crisis Is 'Lucky' for PS5
@TrollOfWar I really don’t think that’s what it means. Totoki Speaking of monetisation of its customer base is common corporate strategy and vocabulary. I don’t think the guy is under the assumption customers aren’t going to want anything in exchange or expect less value. Monetising user it’s important can also mean accomodating your customers requests and demands. It’s an interview with the WSJ not IGN.
Re: 'I Don't Understand If It's Such a Big Issue': Shuhei Yoshida Isn't Too Bothered About No More Discs
@naruball True, I’ve no good answer for you on that one. The biggest challenge to next generation is price. I can only guess Sony has the numbers (even prior to rampocalypse) I’m guessing knocking off an optical drive cost and offering a larger subsidy due to digital distribution is part of the equation. I think every platform holder will struggle next generation, we’ll probably see a greater push for streaming from a controller or some cut down hardware.
Again my point wasn’t a comment on physical media’s feasibility or desirability, just pointing out film, music and games have quite different physical retail economics.
Re: Ex-Wrestler Dave Bautista Officially Replaces Ryan Hurst as Kratos in God of War TV Show
Bautista looks incredible for his age but isn’t the recasting supposed to accelerate production. How long does it take Bautista to bulk up to Kratos size?
Re: Opinion: Hermen Hulst Has Failed and PS Studios Needs a Change
@Kelrics90 Astro Bot was awesome.
Re: Microsoft Stops Sharing Digital Sales Data with Circana
@RobN I’m being facetious, I don’t genuinely believe any company would write a cheque based on public sentiment of sales of Halo.
That said who really knows how Microsoft are valuing its IP. I remember when Microsoft was pitching a Halo film demanding millions in up front licensing fees and 15% take of the box office.
They even hired people to wear full Master Chief Spartan armour to hand deliver the screenplay.
It’s probably preferable these days to quote ‘engagement hours’ rather than sales numbers.
I agree it certainly adds to the consumer doom loop and they aren’t pulling reporting these numbers because the division has suddenly turned around. However I do think the negativity extends into other commercial areas and limits how Microsoft can manage the process and messaging.
Re: Microsoft Stops Sharing Digital Sales Data with Circana
Hard to sell a business for a decent price when its public knowledge your most valuable IPs are selling miserably.
Re: 'I Don't Understand If It's Such a Big Issue': Shuhei Yoshida Isn't Too Bothered About No More Discs
@naruball Sry don’t really understand the follow up question?
Physical media is just disc but how the two industries arrive at that point is quite different. Both involve selling physical discs but their profit margins, supply chain rules and distribution are quite different. So gaming companies are far more financially penalised at the front and back end of the distribution chain than film studios. If you’re interested look into differences between wholesale return credits which is typically how films are retailed.
My point isn’t what feasible or desirable but that gaming companies absolutely get it but are currently far more financially incentivised to drop physical than film or music.
Re: Black Myth: Wukong's Follow-Up, Zhong Kui, Looks Absolutely Stunning in New Gameplay
Definitely looking forward to Phantom Blade Zero more. The graphics on this look incredible but somehow the first Black Myth gameplay didn’t click for me and I dropped it, still not quite sure why it didn’t connect.
Re: 'I Don't Understand If It's Such a Big Issue': Shuhei Yoshida Isn't Too Bothered About No More Discs
@naruball I don’t think it’s a case of film and music ‘get it’ but gaming companies don’t. Rather different industries with different products and economics. I also don’t think we want gaming to adopt Hollywood style production.
Re: Opinion: Hermen Hulst Has Failed and PS Studios Needs a Change
@Art_Vandelay Live service at its core is just dlc and monetisation. I’m not sure how long trends typically last but it’s been around now for almost decades just without the catchy label. What large multiplayer focused games aren’t basically live service at this point. Some of Sony’s games have adapted well other products a disaster. The problem was trying to artificially force it and having a mandate to invest. I agree chasing live service has been an unmitigated disaster, however being open to invest in interesting live service projects should certainly be on the table.
Re: Opinion: Hermen Hulst Has Failed and PS Studios Needs a Change
@get2sammyb Are we judging Hulst based on his decisions or current circumstances? Shuhei green lit Concord, he has himself confirmed as much. Now should that project been cancelled earlier, certainly in hindsight. It does however illustrate how far back some of these decisions reach.
Re: Opinion: Hermen Hulst Has Failed and PS Studios Needs a Change
It certainly doesn’t look good, he has been in charge now for some time. That said there is a habit of laying problems at the feet of whoever is currently in charge. I still see people blaming Hulst for all matter of decisions that probably weren’t his and is stuck managing. Concord wasn’t a Hulst project but started with Shuhei, that hasn’t stopped people laying the blame with Hulst. So how many of these are legacy issues. Without greater transparency of decisions that are solely his it’s hard to ascertain exactly how much blame should be apportioned. Hulst has taken some good decisions like stopping PC or Multiplatform releases for anything other than live service.
Personally I think the launch line up of the PS6 will be Hulst’s legacy and the barometer to be judged by, if he last that long.
Re: After Online Storm, Here's the Truth About Wolverine PS5
Wolverine looks like and will probably be a blast to play. Much like a popcorn flick at the cinema there is no need to overthink it. Insomniac games have nearly always been pretty decent. I imagine it will sell just fine between release and Xmas.
Re: Rumoured Phantom Blade Zero PS5 Demo Nowhere to Be Seen After State of Play Deep Dive
@PanFriedSoup The CCP isn’t involved and certainly doesn’t dictate development themes. Game development work largely as it does anywhere with final products submitted to regulatory agencies for approval prior to certification for sale. Wuxia themed games would actually be a fraction of all games produced by Chinese developers. Most of it is mobile games or F2P style stuff.
The reason you’re probably seeing more Wuxia style games is higher profile marketed games. Period dramas and Wuxia are incredibly popular within China. I imagine most game development is funded locally and choosing popular themes is easier to attract funding. The success of Wukong will only accelerate more development of the genre and higher profile larger Wuxia games. Historical fantasy film, tv and games are an easier approval than anything deemed controversial by their regulators. I imagine investors aren’t going to risk funding any games with elements of modern political or LGBTQ themes.
Re: Rumoured Phantom Blade Zero PS5 Demo Nowhere to Be Seen After State of Play Deep Dive
@GirlVersusGame So it’s a Chinese game therefore the state is involved, that’s their assumption. Oh dear.
Actually the CCP have zero oversight during development, S-Game isn’t some massive State Owned enterprise. The studio will submit their product to regulators ahead of release for sale approval in China. Exactly the same process more or less as Europe or the US. Why do people have this myopic view about China. We’re only going to see more numerous higher quality products as the industry there matures and gains experience.
Re: Rumoured Phantom Blade Zero PS5 Demo Nowhere to Be Seen After State of Play Deep Dive
@TheDaddyOtaku What simulator?
Re: Rumoured Phantom Blade Zero PS5 Demo Nowhere to Be Seen After State of Play Deep Dive
@Deadlyblack it looks good, real good. Can’t wait.
Re: 'It's a Relentless Onslaught': Wolverine PS5 Dev Responds to Unprecedented Criticism
@ApostateMage I mean there is a fundamental difference in that those games were released, at full price with serious structural flaws and broken in parts but were still shipped. Wolverine isn’t even out yet, this people deliberately attempting to frame the gameplay and game in a negative light for engagement. If anything Mind Eye had mostly benefit of the doubt till it was shipped.
Re: 'It's a Relentless Onslaught': Wolverine PS5 Dev Responds to Unprecedented Criticism
I didn’t even know this was a thing till this article. Feels like we’re scrapping the barrel a bit if we need to go through every language posting to find negative sentiment. Ah clicks…..engagement, got it.
Re: State of Play for Phantom Blade Zero Announced for Next Week, 11-Minute Trailer Revealed
@Mes_Urson The new Street Fighter looks fun. Unfortunately even my tolerance for dubious martial arts films was stretched watching the new MK2 film, it’s definitely a 2am on streaming can’t sleep type of film.
Re: Hyped PS5 Soulslike Mortal Shell 2 Has an Easy Difficulty Mode, But There's a Catch
@ButteredCrumpet I don’t really have strong views on what difficulty people should play games on. I just found the original post telling people that their achievement trophies are meaningless a bit mean spirited, especially when something that can be genuinely meaningful to someone else costs you absolutely nothing.
You’re arguing that trophies are meaningless while also saying that taking them away makes a game objectively less and that people are therefore entitled to them. That seems like a strange amount of importance to place on something you’ve just said is meaningless.
I also think you’re conflating accessibility with recognition. Making a game accessible means removing barriers to experiencing the content, it doesn’t necessarily mean every difficulty has to give exactly the same recognition. Otherwise completion and challenge effectively become the same thing.
I’m all for making games as accessible as possible, but I don’t think that requires telling people that their achievements are meaningless or that every difficulty has to recognise achievement in exactly the same way.
Re: Hyped PS5 Soulslike Mortal Shell 2 Has an Easy Difficulty Mode, But There's a Catch
@ButteredCrumpet That argument feels a little reductive. A marathon medal isn’t necessarily a measure of who worked hardest relative to everyone else, it recognises you completed the race. A disabled runner may have overcome far greater obstacles to do so, but that doesn’t make an able bodied runner’s medal undeserved. The same applies to trophies. Their value can come from what they represent to the person earning them, rather than from proving they suffered more than everyone else. I’m not sure it’s fair to tell people how meaningless something should be.
Re: PS Plus' Big Walk Hits Big Sales, Surpasses 1 Million Copies Sold in Under a Week
@lazymike No split screen would absolutely ruin it. The puzzles are designed to be completed by people in seperate locations. It’s very carefully designed to limit communication at points both visually and auditory. So no discord or party chat either. Split screen would trivialise half of the puzzles and the end game.
Re: PS Plus' Big Walk Hits Big Sales, Surpasses 1 Million Copies Sold in Under a Week
This game is absolutely incredible. Definitely a personal highlight of 2026.
Re: Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls (PS5) - The Most Exciting Fighting Game in Years
@Fishysensei Marvel is spread pretty liberally but there is something inherently special about Marvel and fighting games.
Re: Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls (PS5) - The Most Exciting Fighting Game in Years
Really enjoying it, shame the wireless stick was delayed.
Re: Opinion: Ghost of Yotei Was a Weirdly Disappointing Sequel After Loving Tsushima
Felt this way about Death Stranding. Loved the original but the sequel lost its magic even though objectively it’s does most things better. Loved the slow challenging exploration of the first and it felt less of a focus in the sequel.
Re: Halo Made Its PS5 Debut, So Now It's Time for Xbox to Lay Off the Team That Made It
Honestly feels like the games industry wants to follow a Hollywood business model. Spin up a production then after it’s completed everyone goes their own way. There is no question games benefit from teams that have been together a long time and specialists within shouting distance that work on in-house engines. Sad to see these guys treated as disposable.
Re: Disc-Based PS5s Now Warn Buyers About the Impending Death of Physical Games
@GirlVersusGame ha it’s cause we have a slow life down here. In a good way. Nothing is hurried much and we are usually an optimistic bunch.
Definitely strange times over there. Reminds me of that dad joke.
How are things in Moscow these days?
Can’t complain.
Re: Disc-Based PS5s Now Warn Buyers About the Impending Death of Physical Games
@GirlVersusGame When it comes to Russia it’s very different and uniquely complex situation. I know VPN usage there is quite common, especially in recent times. Sony completely exited the market in 2022 along with a lot of companies. I would not be surprised if bans there are very common. I imagine the strict sanctions, regulations and payment processing restrictions meant it’s far more difficult and risky to operate. Xbox also left the market didn’t they. Think Steam stopped processing credit card payments.
As for censorship I’m not sure Sony is any different really than other platforms at this stage. Most games that had had cuts or forced restrictions are mandatory by the countries local laws. Religious sensibilities or political views. Wasn’t Stalker 2 on Steam banned in Russia and purchasers potentially face legal action. Navigating that environment from a regulatory compliance standpoint must be a nightmare for companies. I’m sure there are a few oddities that occur only on Sony but I really don’t think it’s the company acting unilaterally for the purposes of censorship for censorship sake or purification of our mortal souls.
I completely agree Sony has a lot more to do with customers digital rights and flexibility of purchases, all companies do frankly.
Re: GTA 6 PS5 Gameplay Coming This Month, Here's When to See It First on Netflix
@PaperAlien Rockstar could not care in the slightest about Sony’s physical disc online problems. They are selling only digital by choice only on consoles.
I imagine the Netflix announcement is hype for the mainstream and casual audience that hasn’t looked at a gaming website in years.
Re: GTA 6 PS5 Gameplay Coming This Month, Here's When to See It First on Netflix
Honestly it wouldn’t surprise me if Netflix’s buys Xbox.
Re: Disc-Based PS5s Now Warn Buyers About the Impending Death of Physical Games
@GirlVersusGame I agree with the sentiment, not being able to change region is really detrimental. It’s technically against the ToS but do we actually know of any bans on PSN for using accounts outside of a location? There must be millions of users in this situation and it seems unofficially tolerated. I absolutely agree though Sony needs to address this issue. Even if the solution isn’t perfect it’s another digital only problem that should be addressed.
I’ve personally had issues with Apple when purchasing regional content like films suddenly being unavailable after changing regions.
Sony can’t do much in cases of regional censorship, it’s legally required to comply with local laws in countries it operates. Even Steam you have games that vary in content or availability by region due to censorship. Lots of people used to change regions to take advantage of different pricing, I know there have been a few changes so perhaps less prevalent now.
Re: Disc-Based PS5s Now Warn Buyers About the Impending Death of Physical Games
@ShadowRJ There was always going to be a contingent that actively took their anger out online. There are lots of questions but they mostly revolve around a yet unannounced console. I wouldn’t expect any further information till the PS6 is officially announced.
From Sony’s perspective it’s probably preferable to have this announcement out far in advance of any new console reveal.
Re: New PS5 Beta Firmware Is Available Now, Here Are All the Patch Notes
@zebric21 There are quite a few Digital Foundry videos comparing various upscalers. Hmmm I’m not sure what you mean regarding AMD. They were not making any meaningful progress on their own product. Sony decided to push ahead independently which ended in a joint collaboration. FSR 3 and 4 are quite different, FSR 3 relies on conventional non-AI algorithms for edge detection and pixel blending. FSR 4 uses machine learning models built to leverage dedicated AI accelerators like FP8 found natively on newer architectures (like RDNA 4). PSSR 2 and FSR 4 stem from the same core algorithmic foundation developed via Sony and AMD’s joint machine learning collaboration.
They are co-developing further if you look into project amethyst.
https://www.pushsquare.com/news/2025/10/ps6-out-in-a-few-years-as-sony-amd-discuss-the-future-of-games
Re: Site News: Where's Our Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls PS5 Review?
@Brundleflies21 “ Even the numerous editions for Tokon just reek of stale, foul odoured greed”.
Street Fighter II for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System launched in North America on August 1992 costing $74.99 USD. (approx $170 inflation adjusted).
The standard edition of Tokon in 2026 costs $59.99 USD. The most expensive is $99.
You could buy three almost copies of Tokon for the same price a single copy of SF2 cost inflation adjusted.
Re: Video: What Are Your Favourite Video Game Worlds?
@somnambulance Death Stranding 1 was amazing. Traversal genuinely felt like an accomplishment. That feeling of heading out into the unknown accompanied by an incredible soundtrack.
Re: 8 Ways Sony Must Improve the PS Store for Our All-Digital Future
@kantaroo Yup, if we are heading towards only owning digital products then companies need to be more transparent and accountable for what they are selling us and giving us more control over what we do own.
Also it’s not that I don’t think Sony won’t gain more control over its ecosystem/ customers. I just don’t think it’s going to operate like it’s in a vacuum. It’s a business who presumably wants to sell us a $1000 dollar PS6 which is a much different proposition than a $399 PS5. They need to give us a reason to buy it. Sorry for the long post, you bothered to lay out your case, figured I try and provide a bit more context.
Re: 8 Ways Sony Must Improve the PS Store for Our All-Digital Future
@kantaroo (continued) You've also listed anti-consumer behaviour such as keeping prices artificially high or running fewer sales. My question is simply, why would Sony do that?
Sony makes a significant amount of money from third party digital sales. Most of the products on PSN cost Sony nothing to develop, nothing to manufacture and virtually nothing to distribute. From an economic perspective, discounting is often in Sony's interest because they're trying to maximise profit, not necessarily maintain the highest sticker price. Low marginal distribution costs, price elasticity of demand and intertemporal price discrimination all help explain why digital storefronts regularly discount older games. Sometimes selling ten copies at half price is more profitable than selling three at full price.
That's also why I think the burden of proof sits with the claim that prices will materially increase. What's the mechanism? What evidence suggests Sony becomes more profitable by abandoning pricing strategies that have been successful across digital marketplaces for years? Greater market power could, in theory, change incentives, but that doesn't automatically mean it will.
Personally, I like physical media. I think it's one of the console's unique selling points and I hope Sony continues to support it. The bad faith takes get a bit tiring though, and I think they distract from issues consumers should be more concerned about, like digital ownership rights, licensing and game preservation.
I realise I haven't really addressed your point about the second-hand market. I don't think it materially affects the pricing of new digital games. As far as I'm aware, publishers don't sit there looking at second hand trade-in values when pricing a game. Internal metrics like demand decay, product age, seasonal promotions and revenue optimisation seem far more likely to drive pricing decisions. That doesn't mean I'm unsympathetic to people who rely on trade-ins to reduce the cost of buying new games. Losing that option would absolutely be worse for consumers. Apologies for the long read, if you got here.
Re: 8 Ways Sony Must Improve the PS Store for Our All-Digital Future
@kantaroo My original post was a specific response to the claim that PSN prices would increase directly and disproportionately as a consequence of Sony dropping physical media, and why I don't think that's likely. Primarily because publishers set their own prices and generally prefer digital sales. You're saying I've failed to understand or consider other factors, but then proceed to move the goalposts into a broader discussion around monopolistic pricing and answer your own questions as to why this is the case. I'll at least try to give my take on the points you've raised.
I think it's worth clarifying up front that regulators and courts don't currently consider digital storefronts within hardware ecosystems to be monopolistic by default. Sony having complete control over its own ecosystem, even if it became adorably all digital, isn't automatically monopolistic in the eyes of regulators, so I think we should be careful about using that as a starting assumption. Competition authorities generally look at the wider market, where Sony competes with Xbox, Nintendo and lesser extent PC storefronts like Steam. Antitrust law is obviously complex, nuanced and subject to change, and neither of us can presume to know the next landmark legal ruling.
On pricing, publishers largely dictate what their games sell for. That's why new third party releases tend to launch at broadly the same price across PlayStation, Xbox and PC. As long as publishers continue releasing games across competing platforms, I think it's fair to assume those prices will remain broadly aligned. That's not to say prices can't go up, just that I don't see a convincing reason why PSN would suddenly or disproportionately diverge from the rest of the market simply because PlayStation no longer sells discs.
Re: 8 Ways Sony Must Improve the PS Store for Our All-Digital Future
@kantaroo Where have I specifically referenced monopolistic pricing?
Re: Sony Knows How You Feel About No More Discs, But It's Not Going to Reverse Course
@electrolite77 I agree with some your sentiment. PC may have gotten easier to use but are still a ways off the simplicity of consoles. Steam Machine OS is a good start.
‘There’s never been an instance where less consumer choice has benefitted the consumer’ - you are correct, this will have consequences and negatively affect consumers who predominantly purchase 2nd hand games and this is unique to consoles. It’s unfortunate but I don’t believe the 2nd hand market is Sony’s reason for this change. I agree the company has run the numbers and expect a small percentage to leave the ecosystem with this policy shift or at least buy fewer games. There is a financial offset but that doesn’t necessarily equate to current customers paying more. It’s hyperbole to suggest all the company wants is casuals and whales to bleed dry. I mean do we say that about Steam? Sony’s primary purpose with this change is to maximise returns by eliminating or reducing retailers split of each new sale. This does not change the price the consumer pays, it does affect how consumer purchases its products. Clearly that’s not acceptable to some.
‘Any discounts will be entirely down to their largesse’ this is fair but I’d say that’s the same now wherever we turn. Sony will have a mandate over the frequency of sales and promotions on its storefront. That doesn’t mean it’s immune from competition. It also doesn’t mean it has any more control over publishers setting prices on PSN than it does on Steam. The only difference being publishers vastly prefer digital sales so will clearly welcome this change.
I truly believe more needs to be done regarding digital purchases and customer rights, it’s pointless for me to suggest Sony is no worse than Valve or Apple etc. They all need to do better in this regard. If any of them wanted to truly innovate and lead then vastly improving digital rights of purchases should be a priority.
Re: Sony Knows How You Feel About No More Discs, But It's Not Going to Reverse Course
@Rodimusprime13 Stop spreading misinformation. Do your own research. For reference there are 12 months in a year.
https://www.playstation.com/en-gb/legal/terms-of-service/
21.2 If you have not used your Account for at least 36 months we may take steps to close it. In that case, we will contact you via the email address registered to your Account and give you 6 months to either log in to your Account or contact us and tell us to keep your Account open.
Re: 8 Ways Sony Must Improve the PS Store for Our All-Digital Future
@Msw7089 I think optional PSN is a good call. At minimum a token amount for cloud saves. If you want to go all digital then spread the wealth.
Re: 8 Ways Sony Must Improve the PS Store for Our All-Digital Future
@Leinad7 I’m sorry, but you really have fundamentally misunderstood how digital storefronts operate. Sony already has full control over its digital store, its has since the beginning, this isn’t new or affected by physical sales.
PlayStation for the most part does not set prices on its store. It acts as the merchant of record but the prices for all games are set by the publisher. Outside of first party titles it has no control over pricing. It operates and manages sales but publishers opt into and agree discount rates. If prices increase for games it’s because publishers across the industry believe they can charge more, it has nothing to do with Sony unless they are publishing the game.
The reason publishers and platform holders prefer digital is because their sales are more profitable as there is no retailer.
Sony are dropping physical sales to make more money along with the publisher on every digital sale. Sales of the PS6 are irrelevant, as are player counts. Development costs increasing is industry wide and affects all publishers, hence they’d like more of each sale rather than given GameStop a slice.
Re: Sony Knows How You Feel About No More Discs, But It's Not Going to Reverse Course
@ShadowRJ You are largely correct. The PS6 launch success will depend on the same factors as all previous hardware launches before it. Price, launch line up and announced 1st year exclusives.
That said unfortunately hardware components have never been as disproportionately expensive as now, we’ve never had a generation where hardware has substantially increased over its lifetime. We may see a completely different strategy and platform holders forgo a traditional approach, lower sales expectations and opt for a far longer cross generational cycle.
A weak launch line up or high retail price will have far more impact than if the console contains an optical disc drive.
Re: Sony Knows How You Feel About No More Discs, But It's Not Going to Reverse Course
@Rodimusprime13 Sony going all digital will not “push prices higher” for new games. Prices aren’t set by Sony for 99% of available games. That not how it’s storefront works. Primarily they are doing this so they and publishers retain a higher percentage of each sale without having to split it with retailers.
Secondly Sony will not wipe your library or account if you don’t log it for two years. Stop spreading misinformation. All companies that operate in the EU need to accommodate local laws. In Sony’s T&Cs it’s 3 years + 6 months and they may close your account not will. It’s also been in t&c for 17 years already and all companies have some form of this clause.
Re: 8 Ways Sony Must Improve the PS Store for Our All-Digital Future
@Leinad7 I think you fundamentally do not understand how digital storefronts operate. Why will new game prices increase disproportionately on Sony’s platform if physical sales are eliminated?
Also Microsoft buying two of the largest publishers is not analogous to Sony ceasing physical sales on its own platform. That is why you are probably not hearing anything.
Re: 8 Ways Sony Must Improve the PS Store for Our All-Digital Future
@Zuljaras Valve actively fought this through several courts when a French consumer group tried to push through this exact policy. Valve fought it all the way to the supreme court and won, so unfortunately this is basically a non starter in the EU.
At issue was a clause in Steam’s terms and conditions prohibiting the resale and transfer of digitally purchased games. UFC Que Choisir argued that this clause unlawfully restricted consumer rights and demanded its removal.
French Supreme Court (Cour de cassation) docket no 23-13-738.
Re: Japan Studio Couldn't Keep Up with Sony's Push for Games That Would 'Drive Hardware Sales'
No one showed up for these games, the sales clearly showed this. It’s ridiculous how we romanticise Japan Studio, and this is from someone that was around and purchased a large number of their games at launch. Did they have a few great teams and games, sure. However most people didn’t buy their games and that was in an environment with far less competition. PS5 is far better serviced in 2026 by doing deals with incredible indie studios, like they did with the Sea of Star devs and highlighting indies on PSN and select development of games like Astrobot.