Former PlayStation CEO Says PS6 Won’t Be Completely Discless
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Former PlayStation CEO Shawn Layden recently discussed the possibility of the PS6 launching without a disc drive during an interview on the Kiwi Talkz podcast. According to Layden, this move would be difficult for Sony due to several market factors.
With the PS5 Pro launching as a digital-only console (with a separate disc drive available for purchase), the interviewer asked Shawn Layden whether Sony could do the same for the PS6. Layden answered by explaining that Sony would have a hard time making a fully digital console the only option.
Former PlayStation CEO Explains Why the PS6 Likely Won’t Drop Disc Support
He compared PlayStation’s situation to Xbox, noting that Microsoft has been able to push digital consoles because its main markets—the USA, UK, and Australia—have more advanced internet infrastructures. However, PlayStation is dominant in 170 countries, each with different connectivity conditions, making it unlikely that Sony would eliminate physical game support with the PS6.
Layden highlighted that in certain regions, reliable internet connections may not be sufficient for an all-digital console. He also pointed out that athletes and military personnel, who often lack stable internet access, rely on physical game discs.
He explained that Sony would need to analyze how many players would be negatively impacted before making such a significant decision. Even though they might stop using discs in the future, PlayStation is available in so many countries that it would be hard for them to completely get rid of physical games, even for the next console.
In other news, Shawn Layden warns that rising AAA game costs, possibly reaching $400 million for PS5 titles, are unsustainable as the console audience stays the same. He suggests making games shorter (about 23 hours) to better fit how players engage.
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