Sony’s Biggest Problem If the PlayStation 6 Is Discless

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Okay, so everyone’s been talking about whether the PlayStation 6 will even have a disc drive. It seems like a lot of people think Sony will ditch it completely, since fewer and fewer people are buying physical games these days. They already released a PlayStation 5 you can only download games on, so it definitely feels like a possibility. But honestly, if they do go that route, I think it could really hurt the PS6. I’m worried it might make it a lot less appealing to gamers, and ultimately, affect sales. It just feels like removing the disc drive could be a big mistake.

It’s uncertain if Sony will make the PlayStation 6 disc-free, but doing so would likely disappoint many loyal customers. Players are now building up game collections not just for the PS5, but also for the PS4, thanks to the PS5’s excellent backwards compatibility. Removing the disc drive on the PS6 could make those existing game libraries useless, putting PlayStation fans in a tough spot and potentially leading to lower sales for the new console.

The PlayStation 6 Has Two Generations Of Physical Media To Cater To

It’s highly likely the PlayStation 6 will let you play games from both the PS4 and PS5. Sony has already set up a system where you can transfer your game collection to new consoles, and this has been a major reason for their success. Because PlayStation games are now mostly digital, like on PC platforms such as Steam, it wouldn’t make sense for Sony to make players buy the same games again. Charging hundreds of dollars – potentially even close to a thousand – for games people already own would be a risky move and could cause the new console to fail.

While digital game sales are booming, physical copies are becoming less important. Sony reports that in 2025, physical games only made up 3% of their PlayStation revenue, compared to 20% from digital sales. In 2023, digital games accounted for 70% of their total sales. This trend is clear – major game companies are focusing less on physical media, as seen with the release of digital-only consoles like the Xbox Series S and the PS5 Digital Edition. Market research from Circana shows that nearly half (49%) of PS5 consoles sold in the US in 2025 were digital-only models without a disc drive.

Given that more players are shifting to digital games, it seems logical Sony might consider a PlayStation 6 without a disc drive. However, recent sales figures suggest a large number of PlayStation owners still prefer physical games. Circana data shows that in 2024, digital-only PS5 consoles made up only 18% of total hardware sales. Plus, players can buy a separate disc drive for the digital-only consoles. In fact, after the announcement of the discless PS5 Pro, the add-on drive quickly sold out at most online stores, suggesting many people opted for the less expensive digital console and then purchased a disc drive separately.

Although digital game sales are popular now, they haven’t always been. Ars Technica reports that in 2018, digital sales made up only 43% of total game purchases, and 55% in 2019. Sales didn’t surpass 50% until 2020, with the release of the PlayStation 5, reaching 62%. This means physical game copies were the dominant format for most of the PS4’s lifespan, creating a large used game market with lower prices and many players building up extensive physical game collections. Because of this, Sony can’t afford to release a PlayStation 6 that doesn’t use discs.

The PlayStation 6 Will Almost Certainly Launch With A Disc Drive

The former head of PlayStation believes the PS6 will likely include a disc drive. He points to the continued need for reliable internet access and the fact that many players still own physical games. Sony can’t risk alienating these players, especially if the new console is meant to play older games, like those from the PlayStation 4. Removing the disc drive would force players to either abandon their existing game collections or spend a significant amount of money on a console that can’t play them.

Rumors suggest the PlayStation 6 might not have a disc drive to help lower production costs. If that happens, Sony could release a separate disc drive you can plug in, but there’s a risk it could sell out fast, similar to what happened with the PS5 Pro. This might discourage some players from upgrading, as they could decide to keep their existing PS5 instead. Sony also seems committed to supporting the PS5 for a long time, even after the PS6 is released. According to Sony executive Lin Tao, the PS5 is “only in the middle of its journey,” and they plan to continue expanding its features and lifespan.

Sony needs to maximize PS6 sales, as delays and increasing material costs will likely cause significant financial setbacks. While the industry is moving towards digital-only systems, Sony can’t afford to abandon physical games. They should learn from Xbox’s experience, which focused too much on future trends instead of meeting current player demands. To ensure the PS6’s success, Sony must continue to support the large market for both new and used physical games.

Digital Media Is The Future, But It Hasn’t Won Just Yet

Hideaki Nishino, a key executive at Sony Interactive Entertainment, recently stated that traditional home consoles will remain central to Sony’s business for the foreseeable future. While cloud gaming is gaining popularity, he emphasized that players still need a controller and a screen to play. This holds true whether games are downloaded or streamed. Although physical game media is likely to become less common, and eventually possibly disappear altogether, any future shift towards fully digital or cloud-based gaming will still require those essential input and display devices.

I think Sony will keep supporting physical game discs for now, as they’ve been so popular and many people still own them. I expect the PS6 will come in a standard version with discs, and also a less expensive digital-only version, similar to the PS5. There’s also been talk of a handheld PS6, but that would require new cartridges, which doesn’t seem likely if Sony is moving away from discs. Therefore, the digital version will probably be more like the PlayStation Portal – a handheld that downloads games directly to the console instead of using discs.

Personally, I really hope this turns out to be true. I love having physical copies of games and believe we should truly own what we purchase, which isn’t possible with digital content that can be taken away. It’s still uncertain whether the PlayStation 6 will have a disc drive, but I’d like to see Sony, the same company that famously promoted the PS4’s ability to play used games, continue to support physical media for as long as possible.

Wondering if the PlayStation 6 will still use physical game discs? Share your thoughts in the comments and join the discussion on the ComicBook Forum!

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2026-02-27 21:11