It appears as though Sony is starting to add warnings to PlayStation 5 console boxes. The PlayStation 5 has been a hugely successful console for Sony, and is getting very close to 100 million units sold. With the upcoming Grand Theft Auto 6 primarly being advertised for PS5 and skipping PC entirely, it’s very likely that the console will be enjoying a massive sales boost in the months ahead, even in the wake of its unfortunate price increases.
The ongoing RAM crisis and other global issues have forced companies like Sony to increase the prices of their consoles. PS5 consoles are now more expensive than they have ever been before, and there’s no sign of a reversal. As one might imagine, people aren’t happy about the PS5 price increases, and unfortunately for Sony, that’s not the only reason why fans are angry at the company.
New PS5 Console Boxes Come With a Warning
Sony recently announced that it was going to end PS5 disc production in January 2028. Unless Sony changes its mind, this also means that the upcoming next-generation PlayStation 6 console will be a digital-only device. This decision has sparked widespread outrage, fueling calls for boycotts and petitions demanding that Sony reverse course. Despite the backlash, Sony has stuck to its guns and has indicated that it is moving forward with its plans to end disc production, and the latest develop is it doubling down. As spotted by Behind the Games on Twitter, it seems as though new PS5 console boxes now have a warning about Sony ending physical disc production.
Click on the game with the higher OpenCritic rating.
The warning seems to be specific to PS5 consoles with a disc drive, which makes sense as they would be the only ones impacted by the move (minus those that have managed to buy a PS5 disc drive add-on for their digital-only versions of the console). The warning states: “Important notice: from January 2028, newly released games on PlayStation will be available for purchase on PS Store and at retailers in digital format only. Discs for games released before January 2028 can continue to be played on this console.” The warning lets potential new PS5 adopters know that one of the main functionalities of their console will effectively become obsolete in a couple of years.
It’s possible some consumers will see this warning and change their minds about buying a PS5 with a disc drive at all, instead opting to go for one of the digital-only PS5 console options. The PS5 Digital Edition is $50 cheaper than the disc-based PS5, after all. This warning could push more people to go all-digital sooner than expected, though it’s possible most consumers won’t even notice it, of course.
The vast majority of video game sales are digital, and so, from a financial standpoint, Sony’s decision to ditch physical game production makes sense. Still, it’s terrible for game preservation and will certainly make gaming a more expensive hobby since it will kill the used games market. It’s a disappointing development, but time will tell if it has any serious impact on PlayStation console and game sales moving forward.
Source: Push Square
