00:00Sony moves ahead with PlayStation Disc phase-out despite gamer backlash.
00:04Sony says it understands the concerns surrounding its plan to end PlayStation Disc production,
00:09but the company remains committed to moving forward with the transition towards a digital-only future.
00:15During a recent earnings call, Sony CFO Lin Tao said the company is cautiously proceeding with plans
00:21to stop producing physical PlayStation game discs beginning in January of 2028.
00:27Speaking through an interpreter, Tao explained that the decision was influenced by several factors,
00:32with the biggest being the continued growth of digital content.
00:36When we think about the future, and after putting significant thought and consideration into this,
00:41we cautiously reach this conclusion, Tao said.
00:44We will continue to carefully move this forward.
00:47The announcement has sparked criticism from gamers and members of the gaming industry
00:51who worry about the long-term impact of abandoning physical media.
00:55Many players are concerned that a future focused entirely on digital purchases
00:59could mean they are only buying licenses rather than truly owning their games.
01:04Others fear that games could become unavailable if digital storefronts eventually shut down.
01:10Sony acknowledged that many players have strong emotional connections to physical games.
01:15Games are loved by many people, Tao said.
01:17They are a form of entertainment that creates memories for players.
01:20We understand those emotions, and we want to take that into consideration
01:24as we explore how we engage with gamers in a future digital ecosystem.
01:29Despite the back layer, Sony believes the financial impact of ending disc production will be minimal.
01:36Again, that's an optimistic way of looking at it.
01:41Not exactly a realist way.
01:43The company pointed to the increasing shift toward digital purchases,
01:47noting that digital downloads accounted for 78% of full game purchases
01:51during its most recent fiscal year.
01:54Physical game sales have declined significantly over the years.
01:58According to Sakana analyst Matt Piscitella,
02:01the number of PlayStation games selling more than 100,000 physical copies
02:05has dropped dramatically compared to previous generations.
02:08Overall, physical game sales in the United States have also fallen
02:12from hundreds of millions of units annually in the late 2000s
02:16to only a fraction of that today.
02:18When asked whether eliminating discs could hurt the business,
02:22Sony executive Ishii said the company has not seen any negative financial effects so far.
02:27He noted that most game purchases are already digital,
02:31though he admitted Sony still needs to address the concerns of players
02:34who value physical ownership.
02:36Users and players have attachments to physical games,
02:39and we have to consider how we respond to that feedback, Ishii said.
02:43Sony executives were also questioned about how PlayStation will stand out
02:47from PC gaming, where physical discs are already uncommon.
02:51Tao argued that discs are not the main reason consumers choose PlayStation over PC.
02:59I agree.
03:01Physical games is not the reason you choose any console over PC.
03:09There's a few reasons people choose consoles over PC.
03:13One, it's just too expensive to get a gaming PC that can actually play the games you want.
03:22Two, you don't have the know-how to put all the pieces that you would need together
03:29to create a gaming PC from scratch.
03:32Or three, you just want something that's a lot more simple to set up and play.
03:37You plug the console into the wall,
03:41you plug the HDMI cord or the AV cords in,
03:45and then you put it in a disc and you play it.
03:49Most people just want that simplicity when playing a game.
03:54But, so, I agree that, yeah, those are the reasons people would gravitate towards a gaming console,
04:04whether it's PlayStation, whether it's Xbox, whether it's Nintendo, over PC.
04:08You could argue that, yeah, well, there are IPs like Mario or Donkey Kong or, you know, Mario Kart.
04:18Or, you know, there might be a franchise or two or three or four that might make you say,
04:24well, I can't get those games on PC,
04:28so I'm going to choose, like, Nintendo Switch or Sony or Xbox
04:34if you're a big fan of Halo and Gears of War.
04:39But, and then there are some people that can afford both.
04:45So, but, yeah, if we're talking about why people would choose a gaming console over a PC,
04:51it's usually those reasons.
04:53Too expensive?
04:55Too complicated to build?
05:00Um, yeah, or people just want the simplicity when they set it up.
05:06But, I'll get back to the article.
05:09Instead, Sony believes its strengths come of exclusive and curated content,
05:13a stable gaming environment, and a lower price point compared to high-end gaming PCs.
05:19We do not believe discs themselves are a major factor of differentiation, Tao said.
05:24Going forward, we believe PlayStation and PC gaming could coexist.
05:28Reports indicate that Sony had already begun shifting its disc manufacturing facilities
05:33towards producing other optical technology, including microlenses.
05:37For many gamers, however, the debate is about more than just a format change.
05:42The move represents a larger industry shift towards digital ownership,
05:45raising questions about preservation, access,
05:49and whether players will continue to have control over the games they purchase.
05:57You're not going to have control over the games you purchase when it comes to digital.
06:02You know, and don't think, like, PlayStation doesn't always know about this.
06:06Of course they do.
06:08They would have said, and if they were doing something to get rid of those fears from players,
06:13they would have said something already, that they were working on something
06:17to make sure that players' worst fears did not come to pass.
06:22They're not doing anything to do that.
06:26They just, and unfortunately, it sucks that they're also using data that's flawed.
06:32I forget which YouTubers said this, but they brought up a great point.
06:36When you look at, like, 78% of purchases of games from the last year being all digital,
06:49that's not taking into account that some games were only released digitally,
06:54and there was no way to buy some games that had no physical release.
06:59So, of course you bought it digitally, but you didn't have a choice.
07:03If you wanted a specific game that didn't come out physically, you had to buy it digitally.
07:10And those numbers are still, but the sales from those games are still added into the digital
07:16instead of physical part when they shouldn't be.
07:20So, yeah, unfortunately, Sony is using flawed content,
07:30and I'm surprised that, like, all the people that canceled PlayStation Plus
07:34and said, like, they want to cancel pre-orders for, like,
07:41well, they can't really cancel pre-orders because it hasn't come out,
07:44it hasn't even been announced yet, officially.
07:46But, like, people saying they have absolutely no interest in getting the PlayStation 6.
07:51I'm surprised Sony hasn't already, I'm surprised Sony is still digging in its head in the sand,
07:58like, everything's okay, you know, we're going to ride this out.
08:06Which, and then to slap gamers in the face even more,
08:10they're releasing record players because physical media vinyl is making a comeback.
08:15So, you're releasing record players, but your all gaming content's going to be digital only.
08:23If digital is so great, why is it all music digital only?
08:28Not that I want that, but I'm just saying,
08:30it's weird to be behind physical for one thing, one media,
08:36and saying digital only is the future of a different media.
08:42So, yeah, so, I think, I think Sony's just blindly walking into, you know,
08:49if they think they've received backlash so far,
08:52wait until the responses come from Sony releasing record players for people,
08:58so people can play vinyl, their vinyl records,
09:02and Sony embracing the vinyl, making a comeback.
09:10Like I said, that's a slap in the face to gamers.
09:15So, yeah, I mean, I'll show it here.
09:22And let me get this card out.
09:25You know, the great thing about retro consoles,
09:29I can play this anytime I want.
09:33As long as my PlayStation 3 works, as long as this game works,
09:37as long as I have electricity, that's all I need.
09:42You know, the fact that the servers are no longer up for that game
09:46means absolutely when it comes to playing that game.
09:54Sure, I can't play the online mode,
09:56but I can still play the career mode.
09:59I can still play exhibition.
10:02I can still play the ultimate fights mode.
10:04You know, there's still plenty I can do in that game
10:07that doesn't require me playing online.
10:12So, yeah, if you hate this all digital future only,
10:18I say go back to retro.
10:21I'm not going to rehash everything I've said
10:23about going back to retro over the last few weeks or few months,
10:28but, yeah, that's what I'm doing.
10:32And it might be time for you to do that, too,
10:34because Sony just showed.
10:38Now with the response and with what they're working on next
10:41that they do not care what gamers have to say
10:44when they don't care about gamers' concerns.
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