The allure of eliminating physical media for video game consoles is strong for major companies. Xbox has already begun selling models without disc drives and popularized the idea of a digital future with Game Pass. The potential for a disc-less PlayStation 6 has gained traction, fueled by the release of a digital-only PS5 and the continuing decline in physical game sales. However, a former PlayStation executive believes this path isn’t viable for Sony.
PS6 Faces Hurdles as a Digital-Only Console
Shawn Layden, former CEO of Sony Interactive Entertainment, doesn’t foresee a straightforward transition to a fully digital PS6. In a interview with Kiwi Talkz, Layden explained that Sony and Xbox are competing in fundamentally different landscapes. His central argument revolves around geography: “I don’t think Sony can get away with it now,” Layden stated. “Xbox has had more success pursuing that strategy, but Xbox is really most successful in their business in a clutch of countries: the US, Canada, UK, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa. Coincidentally enough all English-speaking countries.”
PlayStation, in contrast, operates as the dominant platform in over 170 countries. Many of these territories lack the necessary internet infrastructure to support a reasonable experience with a solely digital console. “If we go discless, how much of my market is not able to make that jump?” Layden questioned, as reported by Push Square.
Layden believes Sony has a responsibility to consider the impact on players in rural areas, on military bases, or in regions with limited or unreliable internet access. These players would face significant challenges downloading large game files or accessing digital content.
He acknowledges that Xbox’s digital-focused strategy makes sense given its player base, which is largely concentrated in countries with robust digital infrastructure. Sony’s broader, more diversified global presence prevents it from applying the same formula without risking market share.
Analyst Mat Piscatella of Circana recently predicted that PlayStation has “one more generation” of physical game sales ahead of it, while Nintendo could potentially last “two more” before a complete transition. Xbox, however, is positioned to embrace a fully digital future with its next console, which is expected to be a hybrid device combining console and PC functionality.
Despite the challenges, Layden doesn’t entirely dismiss the possibility of a future shift. He suggests a potential inflection point where Sony could justify abandoning physical media, stating, “Okay, fine, we can walk away from that part of the market.” However, he emphasizes that this moment is still years away.
The timing of any such move is further complicated by ongoing supply chain issues. Reports suggest a potential delay for the PS6 launch, possibly to , due to a global memory RAM crisis. As Layden put it, “The market for Sony is so large globally that I think it would be difficult for them to go fully to a disc-less market, even with the next generation.”
The numbers support this cautious outlook. In the first quarter of fiscal year , 83% of PlayStation game sales were digital, up from an average of 76% for the entire fiscal year , according to Icon-Era. This trend is progressive; in the second quarter of , the percentage was 70%, rising to 74% in the third quarter and 80% in the fourth. European data from shows 131.6 million digital game sales (a 15% increase year-over-year) compared to 56.5 million physical sales (a 22% decrease), as reported by VGChartz.
In the United States, digital sales accounted for 78% of PS5 game sales between and ; Xbox Series X|S reached 91%, according to Circana. While physical media is declining, it isn’t dead yet, and its rate of decline varies significantly by market.
Sony, cannot afford to make a hasty decision regarding a fully digital PS6. A hybrid approach – offering both disc and digital versions, as it did with the PS5 – remains the most realistic scenario, allowing players to choose the option that best suits their needs and ensuring continued access for those who rely on physical media.
