PlayStation Store Digital Game Prices could end up getting cheaper once Sony stops producing new physical discs in 2028, at least according to former Square Enix executive Jacob Navok.
Navok believes the end of physical production could push publishers to compete more aggressively on price.
His argument is simple.
Once discs are gone, publishers no longer have to pay for manufacturing, packaging, or shipping. That saves money.
He also points to Steam as an example of what can happen when digital games compete heavily with each other. Prices drop, sales happen more often, and older games usually get cheaper over time.
That sounds good for PlayStation players.
But there is a big catch.
Cheaper Digital Games Are Not Guaranteed
Sony has already confirmed that new PlayStation games will stop getting physical disc releases from January 2028.
After that, new games will be sold digitally through the PlayStation Store and through retailers as download codes.
Navok thinks that could eventually lead to lower prices.
The problem is that players will also lose the second-hand market.
Right now, a used PS5 disc can often be much cheaper than the digital version.
Some older games still sit at full price on the PlayStation Store while physical copies can be found for a fraction of that amount.
Digital sales can be very good, but you have to wait for them.
With discs, players can shop around at different stores, buy used copies, or sell a game after finishing it.
That choice disappears once new releases go fully digital.
So yes, PlayStation Store prices could become cheaper over time.
But players would also have fewer ways to find a bargain outside Sony’s own system.
Xbox Is Going the Other Way With Old Discs
This is where Xbox gets interesting.
Instead of simply leaving physical games behind, Microsoft is rolling out a new Disc-to-Digital program for Xbox One and Xbox Series X owners.
The idea is pretty simple.
Players with supported physical games can use their discs to unlock digital versions.
That means an old disc can still have some value even if you prefer playing digitally.
The program is expected to roll out more widely this month after testing through Xbox Insider.
Publishers still control which games take part, so this will not work with every disc.
Still, it is a very different approach from Sony.
PlayStation is moving toward a future where new discs disappear completely.
Xbox is trying to turn existing discs into something that still works in a digital library.
Both companies are clearly heading toward the same place.
Digital games are becoming the main way people buy and play.
The difference is how they are getting there.
Sony seems ready to leave physical media behind.
Xbox looks more interested in giving old discs one last useful role before the industry moves on.
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