Shock Decision to Kill Discs on PlayStation
As the video game world continues to digest Sony’s decision to kill video game discs on PlayStation consoles from January 2028, analysts are left to ponder what this means for the future of the console giant.
While Sony has yet to officially announce its next-generation console, the PS6, the company has hinted at its plans for the future of gaming.
Piers Harding-Rolls, a games industry analyst at Ampere, took to Twitter to express his thoughts on the matter, stating that the January 2028 cut-off for on-disc PlayStation games ‘almost certainly guarantees’ that the PS6 won’t arrive until 2028 at the earliest.
Harding-Rolls went on to suggest that the PS6 will launch at the end of 2028, citing the ongoing RAMpocalypse fueled by the AI boom as a major factor in the decision to ditch physical media.
According to Harding-Rolls, ditching a disc drive would be an ‘easy win’ for Sony, allowing the company to reduce the cost of its next-gen console.
However, this decision may come as a blow to some gamers who are attached to their physical game collections and may not want to pay for an add-on disc drive, if available.
To alleviate some of these issues, Harding-Rolls suggested that some process of transfer for older physical media to a digital license could be implemented.
PS6: A New Era for Gaming?
The decision to kill discs on PlayStation consoles has sparked speculation about the future of the PS6 and what it may look like.
While Sony has yet to officially confirm the details of its next-generation console, some analysts believe that the PS6 may follow in the footsteps of the Nintendo Switch, offering a seamless gaming experience that can be enjoyed both at home and on the go.
Hideaki Nishino, the president and CEO of Sony Interactive Entertainment, has hinted at the company’s plans for the future of gaming, suggesting that the next-generation platform will deliver value that is unique to PlayStation.
Nishino went on to state that the company aims to deliver a seamless gaming experience that can be enjoyed naturally beyond the living room, sparking speculation about the possibility of a PS6 handheld console or a console/controller hybrid.
However, Nishino also pointed to cloud gaming as a potential solution to the trouble Sony is having with the RAMpocalypse, suggesting that the company’s cloud strategy will focus on delivering a high-quality gaming experience in environments where quality can be assured.
Microsoft has promised an ultra-powerful next-gen console in the form of Project Helix, which will also play PC games, but it may also have similar plans to offer a range of options.
Earlier this month, Xbox boss Asha Sharma stated that the spiralling cost of new and existing consoles would require ‘radically different business models’ over the coming generation.
