As Xbox continues to draw headlines with its monumental layoffs, Sony does the same with its decision to end the production of discs from January 2028. Unless this change also comes with some serious price drops and better sales on the PlayStation Store, it seems we're all going to be paying a lot more for the majority of our games in the near future.
New data collated by Dutch outlet Tweakers shows that out of 16 GOTY nominees and winners from 2021 that are available on PlayStation physically as well as digitally, the vast majority of titles were much cheaper when bought as a disc. The digital PlayStation Store sales could offer some discounts, but these rarely matched the prices given out by physical retailers. In some cases, like that of Death Stranding 2: On the Beach, the price hasn't shifted digitally, leading to it being much cheaper to buy as a physical copy.
Tweakers' data shows that in extreme cases, a saving of 50 euros can be made on a purchase if you're buying a physical game. The second-hand market plays a huge role here, something that won't exist for the PS6 generation if Sony goes through with bringing an end to discs. If this change is to happen, it seems a lot will need to be done by Sony to make sure its sales and prices fluctuate to a point that people don't feel like they're always going to be paying full price for a title released years ago.