Dismal PS5 disc sales may show PlayStation critics aren't buying physical games

[Redaktion]

New sales data won't cause Sony to second-guess reducing PS5 disc production in 2028. Including numbers after its announcement, U.S. buyers are not rallying to save physical games. Objectors hope to disrupt PlayStation marketing until the company reverses course.

https://www.notebookcheck.net/Dismal-PS5-disc-sales-may-show-PlayStation-critics-aren-t-buying-physical-games.1347565.0.html

[abc]

PS5 disc is virtually Nintendo GKC given its job is to copy game data to internal storage and becomes a DRM disc afterwards. I haven't seen any PS5 games that can run directly on disc, all of them seem to copy to internal storage. Nintendo on the other hand has an actual game inside (and sometimes DLC) that makes some Switch 1 version more favorable than Switch 2 GKC. Then there's virtual game card, which is transferable game key on local session.

In short, for nintendo (worst to best): Code in a box/Virtual Game Card > GKC > Switch 1/2 standalone (no upgrade path) > Switch 1 with paid/free eShop Upgrade pack > Switch 1 with Switch 2 free update patch (very few do this)

Sony should've converted to other medium as the disc read speed isn't fast enough for gameplay. Heck, transferring from disc to storage is also slower than downloading at all.

[Dana]

physical games sell more, they are leaving out some key details to make it look digital sell more, first and foremost, second hand market is huge as f***, also meanwhile physical games just have a few options digital games have the same games plus a lot of exclusives to digital format

when you compare 1:1 physical games sell far more than digital, which is a problem for sony, they make no money from second hand games

[Shaun]

Oh no. The boycotts aren't working. Imagine a gaming boycott can't do what an anti genocidal boycott can't do...wow...big brain gamers...trying to save a medium that's been dead over a decade. Just goes to show. A minority can scream, whilst the majority gets on with with it.

[Jacklongbottom]

People are also forgetting the massive lawsuits twords Sony for creating a monopoly, this same thing they just tried to say they were not doing in court. On top of that sony has been employing AI to drowned out the negative social media comments with pro digital only ones. No one's buying it, these AI are programmed to say "physical games are dead and the proof shows" hiding the monopoly they started while disrespecting consumers. This has nothing to do with stopping Sony, it has everything to do with stopping others from trying the same anti consumer practices after they see sony get away with it. Vote with your wallet not your mouth, the PS plus subscription numbers dropping reflect others thinking the same.

[Let's get physical]

Oh no. The boycotts aren't working. Imagine a gaming boycott can't do what an anti genocidal boycott can't do...wow...big brain gamers...trying to save a medium that's been dead over a decade. Just goes to show. A minority can scream, whilst the majority gets on with with it.

And you suckling on Sony's tit is somehow going to protect your consumer rights? You own nothing with digital. I hope your account gets hacked and you have to go to Sony to try and get your account back. You can try telling them you're one of the good little digital sluts. They won't care though.

[.wojtek]

> ". In the past fiscal year, Sony said that around 78% of software sales were digital purchases. That split grew to a more impressive 85% in the fourth quarter"

Why oh way they are ignoring second hand market? oh I know why - because Sony can't squeeze severe last nickel out of it hence the push for "all digital" where user won't be able to swap the discs to avoid absurd pricing from Sony Digital Store... what a buch od clowns...

[Robert doverspike]

PlayStation going all-digital is a complex and deeply concerning issue. When you have been a gamer for decades, you start to see a troubling shift. These companies have always been about profit, but they used to care about creating something people genuinely loved. There was no heavy-handed messaging or aggressive political correctness—just pure, immersive games.PlayStation used to make buying a game a true experience. You would get home, unwrap the plastic, and flip through a beautiful, colorful, detailed instruction booklet. You could pop the disc in and play immediately without an internet connection. Today, you buy a physical disc only to wait 45 minutes for a massive download. Because modern consoles have so little internal storage, you cannot even keep your library installed; you are forced to constantly delete games or buy expensive external drives.Going all-digital strips away player choice. Discs are physical artifacts. You can hold them, display them, and play them anytime without an internet connection. Most importantly, you own them—they cannot be taken away. I own many classic games that are no longer available on the PlayStation Store, or never were. Physical media allows you to trade, sell, or lend games to friends.The digital future raises massive red flags. First, not everyone has reliable, high-speed internet, and a network outage shouldn't lock you out of your hobbies. Second, digital buyers do not actually own anything. If PlayStation loses a license, they will pull the game entirely—a corporate move they have already pulled with digital movies. When you pay $80, $90, or more for a digital code, you are merely renting access. Publishers can patch, change, or delete content at will.This leads to my deepest concerns: what stops them from turning your existing library into a paid subscription service just to access games you already bought? Worst of all, what happens if you voice a negative opinion on social media? If you say something they dislike, they can instantly ban your account and permanently revoke access to your entire library. Other digital platforms are already doing this, and it sets a terrifying precedent for the future of gaming