- Video game retailers have expressed concern over Sony’s decision to remove physical copies of PlayStation games in 2028.
- The game has stated that it “will not stand idly by” and fully supports the physical ownership of the game.
- Sony’s decision puts several video game retailers at risk of closure
Sony dropped an absolute bombshell on the video game industry, announcing that PlayStation will no longer produce discs for physical copies of games starting in 2028, which hasn’t gone down well with consumers or retailers.
Several video game retailers have responded to Sony’s elimination of PlayStation discs, condemning the move in favor of consumers and physical game ownership. Notably, video game retailer Game released a statement on X (translated from Spanish), highlighting its frustration with the matter.
“As for the latest news: our silence is over. Video game lovers, it’s time to stand up for what matters to us”, a relevant statement from Game, which comes as part of the Stop Killing Games movement, which coincides with the question of game ownership once multiplayer games go offline.
“The latest decisions we are seeing in the industry worry us deeply, because they affect everyone who considers video games as something more than a downloadable file. We are not going to sit idly by. Digital and physical [games] can coexist; in fact, they’ve been doing it for years. »
Another video game retailer, Loot Box Gaming, turned to X, saying: “Should we start with PS+ cancellations for today? It’s just about voting with your wallet. These businesses will feel the pressure if their finances decline. »
But it doesn’t stop there, as another independent video game retailer, VGP Video Game Plus, said: “Oh damn! To be continued,” which sums up a lot of people’s frustrations.
Sony’s decision to end physical copies not only impacts consumers and the ability to own a hard copy of a video game, but it also has serious consequences for companies such as Game, CeX (both primarily in the UK), and Gamestop.
It’s just PlayStation for now, but the likelihood of Microsoft following suit is very high, especially with rumors suggesting that the next Xbox console will indeed be a gaming PC. This is a very dire situation for retailers and consumers, and if Sony doesn’t reverse its decision, it could radically change gaming forever.
Without access to physical copies of games, consumers leave their ability to access their games to the discretion of PlayStation. This is problematic because Sony can revoke users’ access to media (in this case, games) at any time and has recently done so by removing movies from user libraries.
This decision also reduces consumers’ options: with physical games, you can shop around, or even buy a used game. Now, it’s likely you’ll only be able to buy digital games from Sony, allowing the company to set prices without competition.
What’s worse is that in some cases (e.g. game sharing), if you lose internet access, you can no longer play the games you purchased, which can be resolved with a physical copy – and if that privilege disappears forever, any sense of ownership of a video game copy could be a thing of the past.
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