- GameStop CEO Ryan Cohen says Sony’s decision to end physical game production has “no significance” to the company.
- This claim is supported by physical and digital games, which contribute only 18% to overall revenue.
- Cohen’s comments likely won’t help gamers keep physical game discs
The backlash against Sony continues after its controversial choice to stop production of new physical PlayStation game discs starting in January 2028 and it appears America’s largest video game retailer is not taking a stand.
In an interview with Bloomberg, GameStop CEO Ryan Cohen dismissed the idea that the company would be affected by Sony’s decision to end physical copies of games, saying “it doesn’t matter at all,” despite continued consumer outcry.
“It was big in the past; software is less than 12 percent of the business,” Cohen said. “Collectibles are more than half the business, so it’s absolutely irrelevant.”
Frankly, that’s a cold hard stance, but it’s not entirely incorrect, as Bloomberg points out that physical and digital copies of games only make up 18% of GameStop’s total revenue. The store primarily focused on collectibles like Pokemon cards, and this is evident from the moment you visit their website.
It’s no secret that Sony’s decision to end disc production in 2028 has not been well received by most consumers, as many feel it is a direct threat to game ownership. A digital-only console means games (or other media) can be taken away from players at any time, and Sony did this recently with over 500 purchased movies removed from users’ libraries.
Essentially, GameStop’s reasoning that end-of-game discs are irrelevant is similar to Sony’s, since Sony emphasized the fact that most gamers purchase copies digitally in its announcement.
Despite this, the consensus among consumers is that eliminating discs is entirely unnecessary, as it only removes another purchasing option. It’s also worth noting that game prices on the PlayStation Store won’t be as low as they usually would be through used game or video game retailers.
Sony has yet to address the topic since the announcement, even with the amount of backlash it’s receiving online, and gamers are likely hoping that statements from CEOs like Cohen won’t hurt the fight to keep physical copies of games.
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