Former Sony Interactive Entertainment America CEO Shawn Layden criticized the company's plan to cease physical disc production by 2028. Layden described the strategy as a decision driven by financial projections aimed at cost reduction and profit maximization, noting that it has negatively impacted the brand's reputation.
Public backlash against the shift to digital-only gaming remains significant. A petition titled Don't Kill the Disc has gathered over 385 000 signatures, and advocacy groups have called for boycotts. Despite this, Sony has not indicated any plans to alter its current trajectory regarding physical media.
The controversy follows recent court filings in California where Sony argued that consumers do not own the digital games purchased via the PlayStation Store. Layden noted that while physical disc buyers may represent only 20 percent of the gaming community, they are often the most loyal customers who value ownership and collecting.
Proponents of blockchain technology suggest that NFTs could offer a solution by providing verifiable records of ownership. However, critics point out that current NFT implementations often rely on centralized hosting and public metadata, meaning users still depend on third-party infrastructure to access their digital content.
