Image: Push Square
Sony has announced it’ll cease manufacturing physical games in 2028, effectively confirming the PS6 will be an all-digital console.
But Ampere’s Piers Harding-Rolls believes the announcement “telegraphs quite a lot of information” about Sony’s next-gen system, including its release window.
While the system had been tipped for 2027, the analyst believes “this almost certainly guarantees the PS6 won’t arrive until 2028 at the earliest”. He added that his company anticipates the console will now “launch at the end of 2028”.
I’m not 100% sure I follow this logic, because Sony can still cease making discs after the new system comes out – especially if there’s only a two or three month difference.
However, I do agree with Harding-Rolls that the device will not include a physical disc drive (duh). I guess it’ll be down to PlayStation to communicate how its customers will be able to access their physical back catalogues.
The analyst hypothesised some kind of physical to digital transfer progress could be the solution, similar to what’s been tipped for Xbox earlier today.
He said: “It may be too impractical or too complex, but some process of transferral for older physical media to a digital license could alleviate some of these issues.”
It’s unlikely Sony will comment further until the PS6 is announced, but it’s going to have to get its communication spot-on here.
Fans are already understandably enraged with the company; if it doesn’t have an adequate solution to preserve physical libraries moving into the next-generation and beyond, then the backlash is going to make today look tame.
[source videogameschronicle.com]
As the Editor of Push Square, Sammy has over 15 years of experience analysing the world of PlayStation, from PS3 through PS5 and everything in between. He’s an expert on PS Studios and industry matters, as well as sports games and simulators. He also enjoys RPGs when he has the time to dedicate to them, and is a bit of a gacha whale.