A former Square Enix business-development director has argued that Sony’s planned move to digital-only PlayStation releases could lead to lower PS Store prices. Jacob Navok says publishers, rather than digital storefronts, chiefly determine game prices, so competition between games on the same store may encourage more discounts and flexible pricing; however, this would not resolve concerns about ownership and the loss of physical copies.

Sony announced that all PlayStation releases from January 2028, including third-party games, will be digital-only, with even retail copies using download codes. Navok points to Final Fantasy 16’s gradual Steam price reductions as an example of publisher-led competition, predicting more sales and dynamic pricing on PlayStation; Sony has also reportedly added notices to new disc-drive PS5 consoles about the end of physical-media support.