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Conina 3 days ago
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Cerebralbore101 said:

From Sony's Q1 2025 report. Found here: https://www.sony.com/ja/SonyInfo/IR/library/presen/er/pdf/25q1_supplement.pdf

"10 Full game software digital download ratio is calculated by dividing PlayStation®4 and PlayStation®5 full game software units sold via digital
transactions by total full game software units."

In other words, every indie game that has no physical release and is sold for $5 to $15 counts the same as a full fledged $70 game release. And PS4 games that have no new physical copies (because the system is last gen) also count towards their "83% download ratio." In fact, any PS5 game too old to be on store shelves anymore as a brand new copy will be counted for this as well. 

This is just another example of how companies purposefully hamstring physical sales to make it look like consumers are "choosing" digital. 

Well, if the number of game units is too fuzzy for you, take a look at the revenue (in millions of yen) of physical game software compared with the total game software.

  • FY16: 185,287 / 710,970 = 26.1 % physical revenue
  • FY17: 157,897 / 920,117 = 17.2 % physical revenue
  • FY18: 191,513 / 1,293,744 = 14.8 % physical revenue
  • FY19: 116,473 / 1,126,769 = 10.3 % physical revenue
  • FY20: 137,932 / 1,592,586 = 8.6 % physical revenue
  • FY21: 128,917 / 1,553,377 = 8.3 % physical revenue
  • FY22: 193,439 / 1,716,484 = 11.3 % physical revenue
  • FY23: 180,250 / 2,220,193 = 8.1 % physical revenue
  • FY24: 121,159 / 2,508,083 = 4.8 % physical revenue
  • FY25: ~130,000 / ~2,600,000 = ~5.0 % physical revenue

So even with a choice of physical for most AAA titles, the share of physical game revenue has come down from 26 % to 5 % within the last 10 years. Even most PlayStation users who prefer physical discs obviously have no problem to buy digital only software and/or digital add-on content. Or pay for a (100 % digital) PS Plus subscription to "rent" some games and play online.

And if we include the 100 % digital PS Plus revenue (network services), the physical revenue share is even lower:

  • FY16: 185,287 / 900,211 = 20.6 % physical revenue
  • FY17: 157,897 / 1,191,089 = 13.3 % physical revenue
  • FY18: 191,513 / 1,620,269 = 11.8 % physical revenue
  • FY19: 116,473 / 1,464,034 = 8.0 % physical revenue
  • FY20: 137,932 / 1,975,536 = 7.0 % physical revenue
  • FY21: 128,917 / 1,962,732 = 6.6 % physical revenue
  • FY22: 193,439 / 2,181,160 = 8.9 % physical revenue
  • FY23: 180,250 / 2,765,730 = 6.5 % physical revenue
  • FY24: 121,159 / 3,177,956 = 3.8 % physical revenue
  • FY25: ~130,000 / ~3,350,000 = ~3.9 % physical revenue

If Sony should decide to fade out physical PS5 game releases and ditch the disc drive support for the PS6... what would happen?

  • Would most of the PlayStation gamers who prefer physical games quit their hobby? Very doubtful!
  • Would they switch to the PC platform with higher hardware costs and almost 100% digital? Only a few of them.
  • Would they switch to the next Xbox, which probably has no disc drive support? Ha ha ha!
  • Would they switch to Switch 2 where the "physical option" of most AAA releases are game key cards with almost all restrictions of digital games? Probably not due to the big gap of graphics fidelity.
  • Would they switch to iOS/Android mobile games? No chance!

So most PlayStation gamers who prefer physical games (but nevertheless already bought digital-only games and/or digital add-on content) wouldn't change platforms or quit buying PlayStation games, especially if their friends don't switch platforms with them.