Former Sony Interactive Entertainment Worldwide Studios CEO, Shawn Layden, believes Sony cannot afford to release a completely digital, disc-less PlayStation 6. While acknowledging Xbox's success with this strategy, Layden highlights Sony's significantly larger global market share. Eliminating physical games would alienate a substantial portion of their player base.

Layden points out that Xbox's digital-first approach thrives primarily in English-speaking countries, unlike Sony's widespread dominance across approximately 170 nations. He questions the feasibility of a disc-less model, considering the connectivity challenges faced by users in less developed regions. He uses examples like rural Italy or areas with limited internet access, such as military bases or remote locations frequented by traveling athletes, to illustrate the dependence on physical games for a significant segment of gamers. Layden suggests Sony is likely conducting research to determine the acceptable level of market share loss before committing to a disc-less future. The question remains: how much of their market is Sony willing to sacrifice?

The debate surrounding disc-less consoles has intensified since the PlayStation 4 generation, fueled by Xbox's release of digital-only consoles. Both PlayStation and Xbox offer digital-only versions of their current consoles (PS5 and Xbox Series X/S), but Sony has yet to fully embrace a disc-less model. This is further evidenced by the availability of external disc drives for their digital-only PS5 consoles, including the PS5 Pro. However, the rise of subscription services like Xbox Game Pass and PlayStation Plus's Games Catalog raises questions about the long-term viability of physical media.

Declining physical media sales and the increasing prevalence of games requiring online installation, even those distributed on disc, further complicate the issue. Games like Ubisoft's Assassin's Creed Valhalla (correction: the text mentions Shadows, but it's likely a typo referring to Valhalla or another title) and EA's Star Wars Jedi: Survivor exemplify this trend, requiring online access even for disc-based installations. This effectively renders the physical disc a mere installer for downloadable content, diminishing its traditional role.

Would you buy a PlayStation 6 if it had no disc drive?

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