Technology The End of the Disc: Sony Gets Serious, Microsoft Apparently Plans to Follow Suit

[lokamoka820]

Content source

https://chipp.in/gaming/the-end-of-the-disc-sony-gets-serious-microsoft-apparently-plans-to-follow-suit/

Sony plans to end the Disc​

Sony announced this week that it is ending the production of physical discs in January 2028 for new games releasing on PlayStation consoles. Sony claims that the change is a response to shifting consumer preferences.

All new games releasing January 2028 or later will only come in digital format. They can be purchased on the PlayStation Store or at retailers, but also only in digital format. Think of the code in a box releases that are out already or will come out in the future.

Microsoft might follow​

While Microsoft has not yet officially buried physical releases, The Verge reports that Microsoft is working on a system to turn physical game discs into virtual copies in preparation for the move.

The idea is simple: When you buy a physical copy, it is added automatically to your game library on installation. However, unlike on PlayStation, where you can’t lend or sell it, lending or selling remains an option, reportedly.

When you sell the game and the new buyer installs it, it is removed from your library and added to the buyer’s.

The end is near​

While digital-only gamers could say that this does not really matter to them, it is shortsighted. For the companies, Sony especially, it is a way to dry out the second hand market. If you can’t buy used games anymore, then you may be inclined to pay full price online. More money in Sony’s pockets and less options and rights for gamers.

There is another aspect to this. Some gamers prefer physical boxes and content. While these have deteriorated in quality since the good old days, where games used to come with big manuals and extras at no extra charge, it could seriously dampen the collector’s edition market as well.

 

[SpiderWeb]

This settles that this will be the last console generation for me.