PlayStation Eliminates Physical Games, Embraces Digital-Only Future
Source: Featured Blogs - Forrester
Sony's shift to digital-only distribution by 2028 cuts manufacturing and distribution costs while channeling consumers into its higher-margin digital storefront. The move risks alienating customers who value ownership, resale, and offline access. The timing signals confidence in broadband infrastructure maturity and acceptance of antitrust scrutiny—forced digital monopolies invite regulatory challenge—in exchange for capturing the full value chain between publisher and player. This parallels Netflix's password-sharing crackdown: when growth flattens, platform owners extract margin and control from existing customers rather than expand the base.