What PlayStation Needs To Do Next | Extra Credits Gaming

Fresh off its victory against Xbox, Sony has re-entered the console wars, but this time against ITS OWN CUSTOMERS. HAHA! YEAH, AS I'M SURE YOU'VE HEARD by now, PlayStation just announced that they'll be going discless for all releases starting in 2028. Now, as EC's resident Sony pony and an evangelist of physical media, this news hit me like a ton of bricks. Physical games are a huge part of the appeal of a PS5 over a PC, but no disc means the end of the secondary market for PlayStation games, erasing that advantage. Plus, if future consoles won't come with a disc drive, that also ends backwards compatibility for classic titles we've all been collecting and neuters the role the PlayStation plays as the multimedia center of your living room. But you know what's really been driving me to swear like a hecking sailor is Sony's press release about all this which says that they want to, quote, "drive innovation in how players can access games and provide choices as to where players prefer to purchase games." But they're not adding a choice, they're removing a viable option,

physical media. The real innovation would be passing the savings of not producing discs anymore onto your consumers, and we know you ain't going to be doing that. But I'm sure you'll still waste materials and fossil fuels to ship plastic cases with codes inside around the world because what magnanimous disruptors you are. But Matt, I hear my fellow Sony ponies to cry, "Steam has been digital only forever and most games bought these days are bought digitally." Great point, you know, if any of us have ever actually bought a digital game on Steam. Nope, we've licensed them. And I've been okay with that as the PC ecosystem is much more open and permissive than PlayStation. Because there are multiple stores on PC, you can choose where you purchase your games, some of them actually for real, and it's way easier to access, modify, or backup your game files on a PC. But real talk, beyond that preference, with any digital-only service comes the possibility that the controlling company can just decide, for whatever reason, that you no longer have access to the media that you paid for. And you know, what's so maddening about this is that Sony just proved this point

days prior to saying no more discs when they announced that their users would lose access to 551 movies they quote purchased because a licensing deal ran out. They literally gave us the most concrete example of the dangers of the nonsense they are pulling. And look Sony, yes, I'm talking directly at you now. I don't think you're going to have the good sense or moral backbone to reverse this idiotic decision. So, here is my unsolicited advice to you how to save whatever is left of your brand image after this fiasco. First, when this goes into effect, instantly cut the price of digital games by the percentage that it used to cost you in manufacturing and shipping discs, warehouse inventory, and cover returns. Second, ditch the misleading wording of your licensing model and create a true transferable digital ownership structure for games that we purchased so they can be resold. Now, how would THAT WORK? I DON'T KNOW. I'M NOT THE billion-dollar company. Figure it out. And lastly, commit to the promise that if you ever de- list or remove any game or media we purchased from you for any reason, that customers will be refunded for the cost

of that said game or media. That's like the bare minimum. Now, do I think that you'll do any of these things? No, not at all. But as a last olive branch out to you, I want to make my final pitch in a format that you seem to understand.
[music]
Here at X Sony Pony Incorporated, I'll continue to prioritize my resources and platform towards companies who provide actual choices [music] as to where players can purchase games, whether that is a physical copy to ensure true ownership or leasing content from a digital store. And [music] until you begin offering consumers more actual choices rather than removing them, I remain committed to being a world-class loudmouth about your shortcomings. Truly disappointing, Sony. Clean up your house.