Oof. PlayStation has seen better days. I mean, there are still good games coming for it, like God of War: Laufey and Insomniac Games’ Wolverine. But it seems like the company’s behind-the-scenes decisions are doing more for shareholders than its general gaming audience.
Case in point. Yesterday, Sony announced that it would be doing away with producing physical games for its hardware starting in 2028. That essentially means no future physical releases for PS5, and, for that matter, the PS6 would be going digital only.
But wait, there’s more. The company also confirmed that it would shut down the PlayStation 3 and PS Vita storefronts in 2027. That means once they go down, unless some games were released in physical format, there will be no way to get them back again – provided you haven’t purchased them. If you have, you should be able to access them. But these days, even that isn’t a guarantee.
This is on top of already pricing the PS6 beyond the range of usual gaming, and lots of talk about what’s happening with Sony studios. Which leaves us wondering – what the heck is going on? And, for that matter, can it be repaired? Let’s explore what it can do right from here in an effort to save face…
Why Do PlayStation Physical Games Need To Go Away?
The company notes that “as consumer preferences and the broader entertainment industry continue to shift away from physical games to digital,” that eventually led to their decision to scuttle future releases.
However, as you’ve likely seen online, that has led to immense backlash. Not to mention that it goes against the very principles that Sony introduced just years ago with Game Sharing, as you can see in the video below (which, by the way, is on their official YouTube channel still.)
Sony believes the market is changing to the point that people don’t want physical games anymore. And while it’s true that digital games have taken over in terms of convenience, that doesn’t mean there isn’t an interest. Just take a look at what Limited Run Games and others are doing to keep such releases alive. And many, including iam8bit and others, have already stated they have no intention of slowing down.
With this, Sony may need to reconsider its position. Doing this is no doubt fueling lots of hatred for the brand, and isn’t doing the company any favors. As a result, it may dig them even deeper headed into the next generation, all because it wanted to set the same example as Grand Theft Auto VI. That way lies madness.
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Why Does PlayStation Despise Older Games?
So, at a time, Jim Ryan was in charge of the PlayStation brand. And as you can see, his decisions didn’t really get far – especially when you look at the complete failure of Concord. But it’s what he said about classic games that really sticks out with us.
He once said, “I was at a Gran Turismo event recently where they had PS1, PS2, PS3 and PS4 games, and the PS1 and the PS2 games, they looked ancient, like…why would anybody play this?”
If it seems like a completely disconnected comment, you’re not wrong. And it’s coming from a brand that helped establish some of the biggest franchises out there – some, mind you, that continue to thrive on the PlayStation 5. It’s just boneheaded words at best.
But considering that Sony is more interested in making “contemporary” games like The Last of Us rather than old-school revivals of, say, Jak and Daxter or Sly Cooper, it makes you wonder…why aren’t they fans of the old-school?
More than likely, it’s the shareholders talking. They probably want more “grown up” experiences, rather than revisiting franchises that gamers want. But what Sony doesn’t seem to realize is that the reason they’re so successful is because of those gamers. The ones who buy their hardware over and over, and then expect excellent games from their plethora of studios.
So what’s wrong with bringing back older favorites? As we’ve seen on the PlayStation Network, Gitaroo Man just got a nice revival on the PS5 front. And Psi-Ops: The Mindgate Conspiracy is coming around as well this month. Sony needs to stay on that road, instead of trying to create experiences that very few people want.
That’s not to say all their games fail. Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls looks amazing, and Marvel’s Wolverine is another good looker from Insomniac Games. But the less Concord, the better, and the more innovative single player journeys would work. And for crying out loud, where’s our Twisted Metal? It’s been ages!
Erasing PlayStation History Is All Too Easy, Sadly
Another cardinal sin for PlayStation is the erasure of gaming history. As we stated, PlayStation 3 and PS Vita stores will close next year sometime. With it, hundreds of indie games will be gone for good, from the awesome Tokyo Jungle to the glorious LittleBigPlanet Karting. That’s a shame, because Sony could easily reprise these with some sort of program with PlayStation Network, making it worth its high monthly cost.
As it stands, PlayStation Network has decent variety, but not enough to justify its skyrocketing price. Sony should consider a “classics” approach, with more focus on older favorites to join in with the newer releases. As Xbox Game Pass has demonstrated in the past, people love variety. And having old-school favorites to enjoy again would make a lot of sense.
Of course, that comes with licensing, and Sony would likely not be willing to foot the bill on that. But compared to what it has now…why not? Why not give these classics a chance to thrive again? Or, at the very least, give gamers the chance to check them out instead of eliminating them for good?
There’s a reason so many people are arguing for game preservation. It’s because of bone-headed decisions to keep moving into a future where very few people can afford to casually hang out. We need to make gaming approachable for everyone, and a Classics hub of some kind would easily assist with that. Maybe I just like retro games, but that’s the way I think here.
Don’t Forget the PlayStation Future, But Also Preserve the PlayStation Past
There’s a reason Sony got to this position as it did. It came out in 1995 with the original PlayStation like lightning in a bottle and took over the gaming market. That traction continued well with the PlayStation 2, and a little bit with the PlayStation 3 before the PS4 obviously ran house.
But Sony’s way of thinking is long gone from the success that it established back in the 90s. Granted, part of that is due to market change. But they’ve also forgotten the audience that put them on the map, instead leaning more towards marketability and, heaven help us, a future of always-online games. Ergh.
Sony simple needs to take a better look at the bigger picture here. Ending physical media is a colossal mistake, as there’s still a huge market for it. And shrugging off the classics based on some cranky old man’s logic is a failure as well, because a lot of folks grew up on those games. And many are still discovering them. Shutting the door in both of these areas is bad news.
Not to mention pricing the PlayStation 6 beyond belief, continuing to push increased cost for PlayStation Network without the games to truly justify it, and simply trying to please shareholders instead of the audience. It sounds like Sony wants to move on without the players, and that just doesn’t make sense.
Here’s hoping they give reconsideration. Because, if not, the gaming landscape will change for the worse – and companies like Microsoft and Nintendo could take full advantage.
C’mon, Sony. Remember what got you the PlayStation success in the first place. The players.
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