A leading industry analyst forecasts a potential shift towards a fully digital future for Sony's PlayStation consoles, possibly as early as the PlayStation 7 launch. While the current PlayStation 5 offers both digital and disc-based versions, market trends suggest a growing emphasis on digital-only gaming for future generations. This prediction aligns with a broader industry movement, evidenced by the increasing prevalence of digital-only releases for major AAA titles like Alan Wake 2 and Senua's Saga: Hellblade 2, and the PC market's complete transition to digital distribution. Xbox's recent moves, including the launch of the disc-less Xbox Series S and the upcoming all-digital Xbox Series X, further solidify this trend.
Although PlayStation continues to offer physical releases, declining physical game sales and rising digital spending are undeniable. Renowned analyst Mat Piscatella of Circana recently indicated on Twitter that PlayStation might maintain physical releases for only one more generation, suggesting the PlayStation 7 could be a digital-only console, similar to the PS5 Digital Edition. Piscatella also projects continued physical game support for Nintendo for two more generations, while predicting a complete digital-only future for Xbox.
Piscatella's insights carry significant weight, given his position as executive director at the NPD Group, a leading market research firm tracking console, game, and accessory sales in the US. His prediction reflects Xbox's clear internal strategy towards digital-only distribution and the ongoing shift in PlayStation's sales figures, where digital sales increasingly outpace physical sales. The higher profit margins associated with digital game sales, compared to the costs of physical production, packaging, shipping, and retail markups, further incentivize this transition. Sony's promotional activities, such as Days of Play and PlayStation Stars, also indicate a strategic push towards digital spending. The eventual disappearance of disc drives in consoles remains a possibility, although whether the PlayStation 7 will definitively mark this transition remains to be seen.
