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Ex-PlayStation boss thinks the PS6 will have a disc drive

Shawn Layden states that the nature of internet availability around the world will define the choice.

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Considering the rise of digital media and the fact that physical media is becoming less common year-after-year, and the fact that there are already several examples of consoles without disc drives, with the most recent high-profile case being the PlayStation 5 Pro, you might be wondering if the next-generation of consoles will decide to go discless entirely. This is a question that has been posed to ex-PlayStation CEO Shawn Layden in an interview with Kiwi Talkz, where he explained the very good reason as to why disc drives will likely be a core part of next-generation Sony hardware.

In the interview, which you can see in full below and with the disc drive element starting at 37:31, Layden mentions that the PS6 will very likely have a disc drive because PlayStation is globally a much more impactful and common device than its competitors. He states that while Xbox tends to succeed in regions where English is the primary language or a common language, which also tend to be countries with better amenities and infrastructure, PlayStation can be found almost everywhere. It's because of this that a disc drive becomes more important, as in areas where internet availability is uncommon or of a lower quality, having a way to play physical media is crucial.

He also notes that PlayStation is very common with travelling athletes and even military personnel, with both being people who tend to find themselves in places without a stable internet connection. Ultimately, Layden signed off with:

"Sony's market is globally so huge, I think it will be difficult to go fully discless. Even with the next-generation."

Do you agree with Layden's comments?

Ex-PlayStation boss thinks the PS6 will have a disc drive


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