A special physical collector's edition of Mortal Shell 2 for PlayStation 5 sold out in eight days following pre-order launch, prompting the publisher to acknowledge that consumer demand far surpassed their initial projections. Gamers have seized on this rapid depletion as evidence undermining Sony's stated rationale for discontinuing disc production on new releases beginning in 2028, arguing that the sellout demonstrates continued market appetite for physical games contrary to the company's claims.

Despite the visible consumer frustration dominating PlayStation's social media channels, industry analysts remain unconvinced Sony will reverse course. Economists note that eliminating physical manufacturing and retail distribution significantly improves profit margins per sale, and that even if hundreds of thousands of players cancel subscriptions in protest, this represents merely a fraction of Sony's 120 million active user base—insufficient economic pressure to override the financial benefits of an all-digital strategy.