Analyst says Sony going all-in on digital is like the death of PC disc drives: ‘Not a single person is complaining about it today’
Sony plans to cease manufacturing physical game discs by 2028, prompting industry analyst Daniel Ahmad to draw parallels with historical technology transitions. Ahmad, a researcher at Niko Partners, cited Apple's 2008 decision to eliminate CD drives from its laptop line as precedent, highlighting how such transitions eventually become accepted despite initial resistance.
Ahmad acknowledged important limitations in this comparison, particularly the financial burden of upgrading hardware when older devices remain functional. He attributed Sony's shift to the already-dominant position of digital distribution in console gaming, though he also suggested the company views this transition as a means to increase profitability per user.
- Sony will discontinue physical game disc manufacturing by 2028
- Technology analyst draws historical parallel to Apple's CD drive removal; notes initial complaints fade over time
- Digital game sales already dominate console revenue; move also aims to increase Sony's profit per user