Former PlayStation Boss Shawn Layden Says Sony Can't Get Away With Making PS6 Disc-less

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 emphasizes Sony's significantly larger global market share. Eliminating physical games would alienate a substantial portion of their customer base.

Layden highlighted that Xbox's digital-first approach thrives primarily in English-speaking countries, unlike Sony's extensive reach across approximately 170 nations. He questioned Sony's ability to ensure reliable online access for all players, citing potential connectivity issues in rural areas of countries like Italy. He also pointed to specific demographics reliant on physical media, such as athletes traveling or military personnel on bases with limited internet access. Layden suggested Sony is likely assessing the potential market loss associated with a disc-less console. The key question, he stated, is determining the acceptable level of market share reduction before abandoning physical media. Even with the next generation, he believes Sony's vast global presence makes a fully disc-less transition challenging.

The debate surrounding digital-only consoles has intensified since the PlayStation 4 era, fueled by Xbox's digital-first releases. Both PlayStation and Xbox offer digital-only console versions (PS5 Digital Edition and Xbox Series S), yet Sony has resisted a complete shift to digital. This is notable considering the PS5 Digital Edition, even the higher-priced PS5 Pro, can be upgraded with a separate disc drive. However, with services like Xbox Game Pass and PlayStation Plus Games Catalog gaining traction, the future of disc-based games remains uncertain.

Physical media sales are declining, and many major publishers are releasing games requiring internet access for installation, even those on disc. Layden cites examples such as Ubisoft's Assassin's Creed Valhalla (likely a typo, meant to be Assassin's Creed Valhalla or another title) and EA's Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, both requiring online access for installation. This trend effectively renders the second disc in older two-disc releases (one for installation, one for gameplay) obsolete, as that content is now delivered digitally. With physical discs becoming less crucial, the industry's reliance on digital distribution continues to grow.

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