The evolution in technology has continuously affected the entertainment industry, often improving capabilities and resources. But in the last week, two announcements from SONY look set to have huge ramifications that bring customer care and their rights into the spotlight. With digital media in the ascendant, John Mosby asks: Are you buying the product or are you buying the argument?
It might be a sign of the times, but SONY‘s announcements about the future of their game releases still came as a surprise to many on Wednesday… not perhaps for it happening but in the sheer consequences of a double-whammy over the last week alongside with their stance on certain film titles. There’s little doubt that the ramifications will be seismic…
The company has confirmed that as of January 2028 they will no longer be releasing games in a disc format – instead, all their future titles will become download only. Sony Interactive Entertainment are citing consumer trends and the public’s seeming preference for digital releases rather than physical media. Their statement continued: “… We’ll continue to prioritize our resources to drive innovation in how players can access games and provide choices as to where players prefer to purchase new games, whether that’s at retailers or PlayStation Store. We remain committed to delivering a world-class gaming experience to our fans and we thank you for your continued support…”
It’s certainly true that with vast improvements in internet speed and mass-media, it has become increasingly easier to download materials (be it music, movies or games). The advantages are obvious…
Where once you had to travel to a local retailer to get a physical disc (or order it for eventual delivery), the availability of high-speed services (ranging from local domestic suppliers with speeds up to 100Mbps and fiber-optic mapping offering multiple times that) means it is now possible to buy, download and stream things far more quickly – going from days to hours and minutes and from the comfort of your own home, never having to even leave your couch. With more interconnected technology, titles are now often available through multiple devices in a home. You can watch a movie in whatever room you want and even simultaneously on several screens. It also enables wider transport through mobile devices, so you can take a whole library of titles with you when you go away on holiday. You can carry your entertainment universe in your pocket. Size, does indeed, matter.
SONY‘s announcement over their switch to digital only games might be notable, but in and of itself it was always going to happen at some point. (In PlayStation’s 2025 Fourth Quarter financial report, the company revealed that 85% of games sold on its platform were now purchased digitally rather than physical media). So, such developments are somewhat inevitable – you can no more hold back digital technology than you could bemoan the printing press for making text available to the many or for websites eventually cutting into the news and magazine markets or the telephone (smart or otherwise) replacing the smoke-signal or the telegraph. After all, DVDs themselves replaced video-tapes and audio-cassettes. Ask your grandparents.
But as with all aspects of evolution, the way things change – and the sheer speed – can be problematic. There is a flipside, a measurable downside that goes beyond the love of tradition and luddite tendencies and it’s something that needs to be addressed and catered for, one that’s becoming increasingly apparent… and it’s resulted in something of a backlash and a trumpeting of physical media. MORE>>>
