Well that's the thing that I was also wondering. There haven't been any major publishers publicly outcrying about the decision. It's just been indie publishers and indie devs that have voiced concern. Don't know if it's out of fear of damaging their relationship with Sony or they were provided information beforehand and went along with it as major publishers also stand to make more money for each digital game they sell.

Just an out-of-left-field situation that makes one wonder whether chess pieces were moving that led to this.

As much crap as people are giving Piscatella, he's actually showing that physical game spending in the US surpassed 2025 levels at $1.6 billion!!! If physical gaming were truly dying, there would never be any growth.

As others have probably said here and elsewhere, there's virtually no chance this gets fully backpedaled. Not even with PS6 underperforming or flopping.
Virtually no chance ever there will be an SKU of PS6 with a built-in disc drive. And I'm not optimistic PS6 will even have an optional disc drive for backwards compatibility. And you can forget physical games on PS6 that aren't a code in the box or just some gift card. I really don't see a Game Key Card equivalent on a nearly blank disc even if the disc is just a DVD or Blu-ray.
Sony confirmed people can print discs of games released before 2028 after 2028. And maybe they'll backpedal a little more and change the title deadline to 2029 or 2030 but that is pretty unlikely.
All to say, Sony and the other corporations chose this even more than the customers. I'm well-aware the majority are mostly digital. And a good amount are entirely digital. Perhaps if they would release almost every title complete without internet even if it requires 2 discs people wouldn't see as much of a point of going away from physical. And Microsoft is way more guilty of mostly incomplete physical games without internet.

At this point Im not even sure I want them to backpedal. I mean do we really want Sony to begrudgingly continuing physical games? At least now we know when its ending instead of have it looming over us for a few more years.

I definitely want them to backpedal, because what matters to me are the games and the more ever get released physically the more I'll have to play over the years once all I buy are dirty cheap digital games going on for 85+% discounts, like I have been doing.

Even if the goal is moved from 2028 to 2031, that's 3 whole years of new games to guarantee are my to play as I please.

What's your plan if they don't? Gonna become a Nintendo main?

Yeah, you are probably right. Im just not very keen on giving Sony money atm. I will still keep buying PS5 games as long as they keep releasing physical games though.

I do have a Switch 2, but most third party stuff is coming with GKC and I would also not bite on those as I would not for codes in a box.

There is a real possibility I just stop buying big releases except Nintendo first party stuff tho. Sadly they hardly ever drop price and I still only have 3 NS2 games so far so... lol.

As I said in another thread, most of my gaming life has been far, far behind the times up until the PS4, it's not like I can't stay out of the loop of new releases, or give up on my refusal for emulation I decided to as exactly to support gaming companies by actually buying stuff, but doesn't seem like it worked out...

Worse come to worst, I already have a huge ammounts of games to last for several years.

I will say this again and will keep saying it until this digital to physical ratio bullshit stops and companies release those stats in a honest way.

If there are 5000games on psn and 3500 are DIGITAL ONLY,they still ad up with the digital vs physical.

It makes digital look SO MUCH BETTER because there is No other option for most of those games.
There is a valid reason sony doesnt actually release physical to digital stats on games that HAVE a physical release because it makes digital look a lot smaller then 85%

Circana is the one moving the goalposts. It's only PS5 games, only in the USA, only the first half of the year and "over 100,000". For all we know game 7 in the list sold 100,001 while the top five games in the list sold over 400,000. 

Matt P. sounds like the typical twitter goon. Just report whatever will get the most clicks. Truth be damned. Either that or he flat out doesn't understand logic. 

Yeah Circana used to be NPD but he also used to work for WB Games and Activision. He's probably planning on getting another job soon and his prospects depend on how much he can bend numbers and public opinion in favor of digital. 

Anyway let's look at the top rated non-remake AAA games of this year...

Resident Evil Requiem (sold out at launch indicating that it got limited printing)

007 First Light

Saros (niche game that isn't expected to sell a boatload)

Doom 3 (1 MB on disc so collectors won't buy it)

Pragmata (limited printing)

Nioh 3

MH Stories 3 (niche)

LEGO BATMAN (Just launched)

Psyvariar (niche & limited print)

Adventures of Elliot (niche)

Crimson Desert (download required to play it so collectors won't buy it)

So you can see how it would be easy to get low enough sales numbers within that top 7 to quantify "over 100,000" by using a niche game or just launched game to set the bar. 

Also, even if the numbers turned out to be truly low Circana would be committing a false cause fallacy. The cause wouldn't be that people don't want physical. The causes would be limited print runs, fake physical copies and too many niche games.