Because stopping disc production has worked so well for Microsoft…
Here’s the bit both are forgetting:
The hardware is still sold at retail.
So you go into a store, you see a console for sale but no games. Or, worse, a shelf of old games on the “Discontinued” rack (the Xbox section in most Targets and Walmarts now.) Do you feel inclined to buy that hardware?
Also steam is a storefront, if you want the hardware you go to PC store.
Saying that made me realised that they might actually want to make sure they (the Sony store) are the only one to be able to sell this, no more game store in the future.
They’re actually planning for games to be sold at retail as a code in a box, so they still want game displays at retail, but also want to have complete control over the pricing of them. A “have their cake and eat it, too” kind of thing.
The games will still be sold at retailers as a code in a box. I don’t see the point, but apparently that’s the plan.
Valve can also get away with it because PCs are an open platform and you have options to have control over your digital games, whether legal or not. So the lack of physical media doesn’t really matter there.
Because stopping disc production has worked so well for Microsoft…
Here’s the bit both are forgetting:
The hardware is still sold at retail.
So you go into a store, you see a console for sale but no games. Or, worse, a shelf of old games on the “Discontinued” rack (the Xbox section in most Targets and Walmarts now.) Do you feel inclined to buy that hardware?
How is that working out for Microsoft?
https://www.forbes.com/sites/paultassi/2026/06/26/xbox-sales-are-its-lowest-ever-this-month-playstation-its-lowest-since-2000/
Valve can get away with it with the Steam products because they are sold in the same online store that sells the games.
Also steam is a storefront, if you want the hardware you go to PC store.
Saying that made me realised that they might actually want to make sure they (the Sony store) are the only one to be able to sell this, no more game store in the future.
They’re actually planning for games to be sold at retail as a code in a box, so they still want game displays at retail, but also want to have complete control over the pricing of them. A “have their cake and eat it, too” kind of thing.
The games will still be sold at retailers as a code in a box. I don’t see the point, but apparently that’s the plan.
Valve can also get away with it because PCs are an open platform and you have options to have control over your digital games, whether legal or not. So the lack of physical media doesn’t really matter there.