During its recent Phantom Blade Zero State of Play livestream, Sony’s YouTube chat and Twitch viewers were dominated by comments expressing the ‘no disc, no buy’ sentiment, a clear indication of the growing backlash against the company’s decision to discontinue PlayStation disc production from 2028.

The comments, which were not surprising given the earlier reaction to Sony’s announcement, drowned out any discussion about the promising action game itself. The sentiment was echoed by viewers on both platforms, with some even joking about the absence of physical media for the game.

The ‘no disc, no buy’ movement has been gaining momentum in recent weeks, with fans calling on Sony to reconsider its decision. The Digital Entertainment and Retail Association (ERA) in the UK has also weighed in on the issue, describing Sony’s decision as ‘a triumph of corporate convenience over consumer choice.’

As a result of the backlash, the Does it play? X Twitter account, which has been vocal in its criticism of Sony’s decision, has called for a week-long PlayStation boycott in August to send a message to the company. The campaign, which has already gained significant traction, aims to have gamers log out of their PlayStation accounts, refrain from purchasing games, and generally boycott the platform for a week.

Despite the growing opposition to Sony’s decision, the company remains resolute in its commitment to an all-digital future. In a recent statement, Sid Shuman, Senior Director at Sony Interactive Entertainment Content Communications, said that the decision to discontinue disc production was in response to shifting consumer trends. He added that new games would be released on the PlayStation Store and at retailers in digital formats only.

However, the numbers suggest that Sony’s decision may not be as straightforward as it seems. According to the company’s latest financials, the digital download ratio for full game software across the PS4 and PS5 stands at 82%. Furthermore, Mat Piscatella, Senior Director and Video Game Industry Advisor at Circana, has noted that only seven PlayStation games have sold more than 100,000 physical units in the U.S. this year, with only two games selling more than 10,000 physical units during the week ending July 11.

The debate over the merits of physical media versus digital downloads has also been fueled by comments from industry leaders. Strauss Zelnick, CEO of Take-Two Interactive, has defended the company’s decision not to release GTA 6 on a physical disc, arguing that discs do not make sense for big games.

While it remains to be seen whether Sony’s decision will have any long-term impact on the company’s business, it is clear that the ‘no disc, no buy’ movement is gaining momentum. As gamers continue to express their dissatisfaction with the decision, it is possible that we may see a shift in Sony’s stance in the future.

The Economics of Discs and Downloads

One of the key arguments in favor of Sony’s decision is that it will allow the company to retain a larger share of the revenue from game sales. For a first-party PlayStation game like The Last of Us, Sony will keep around 65% of the money from a physical copy, with around 30% going to the retailer and roughly another 5% on manufacturing costs.

Meanwhile, for a physical copy of a third-party game like Call of Duty, Sony will receive a licensing fee, likely around 15%. In contrast, for a digital download, the margins are much higher, with Sony keeping 100% of the revenue for a first-party game sold via the PlayStation Store and a 30% cut (around $21 for a $70 game) for third-party titles.