Nonsense. I bought a PS5 with disc drive, and most recent releases I buy are in disc. And yes, the discs I buy do contain playable binaries.
Circana: 82% of all PS5 sales are disc versions. Sony knows they're really charging 920€ / $780 for the PS5 Pro people actually want.
- Thread starter ToTTenTranz
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I don't get why people would prefer a digital version over a physical one for games that can be played single player, except for not having to load the disc in or getting it from a store I guess.
It means the game is actually yours to play as long as you have compatible hardware no matter what. Nowadays the disc doesn't even spin and the console even uses the internet when available to help copy the game files into the SSD.
And then you can borrow it to friends, or sell it, or by the time you're done with the console you can sell the console and bundle the disc games to increase their value.
Another thing I did a couple years back is I heard there was an orphanage that got a PS4, and they were looking for games to keep the kids entertained in their free time (rather than going to the streets and hanging out with the wrong people). I donated like 7 discs and a bunch of my friends did the same.
I hope to do the same with the PS5. What the hell, maybe I'll even donate the console itself.
Point is, physical media allow for a second life of that game that so many people might enjoy besides ourselves. And the "you'll own nothing and be happy" crowd hate that.
How I see it.
PS5 digital was almost impossible to buy until around 2023.
After that Sony increase the number of PA5 digital shipped and today 40% of the units sold in US are digital.
That shows whatever Sony ships PS5 digital it will be sold and the peak is not 40% of all PS5… it just that Sony didn’t ship more of it.
Is it because the whole discussion of physical be digital? I don’t think so.
It is because it is cheaper.
Price is king.
And yes, there are people brought the PS5 with disc without never buy a physical game because it was the only PS5 that person found to buy.
I forgot to add something...
Sony made it even easier to buy the PS5 digital over the PS5 physical disc.
Except for the original models... the new Slim can all be upgraded with disc if you wish (that includes the PS5 Pro).
That allow people to save at first to buy the PS5... $399 (or even $350 in promotions).
And buy the disc apart months or even years late if they need it.
So this add to the point that the ratio of PS5 digital is growing fast and it will be the most sold console in US whatever Sony start to put enough shipment for it... after all in less than a year it grow from 10-15% to 40% of all PS5 sold in US.
If Sony keep increasing the supply it will be over 50% in no time.
Sony made it even easier to buy the PS5 digital over the PS5 physical disc.
Except for the original models... the new Slim can all be upgraded with disc if you wish (that includes the PS5 Pro).
That allow people to save at first to buy the PS5... $399 (or even $350 in promotions).
And buy the disc apart months or even years late if they need it.
So this add to the point that the ratio of PS5 digital is growing fast and it will be the most sold console in US whatever Sony start to put enough shipment for it... after all in less than a year it grow from 10-15% to 40% of all PS5 sold in US.
If Sony keep increasing the supply it will be over 50% in no time.
Convenience. Click on a button, download, play, delete. Had I bought physical, I could have traded it in, sold it, or made a cool looking collection in my entertainment area. Worst case scenario, publisher turns off game, but they can't turn off mine. But I don't care. I just buy it, play it, delete it and move on to next game.
I totally understand why people prefer physical. I had a awesome physical collection for many years.