- God of War creator David Jaffe says PlayStation’s digital future is financially unavoidable.
- He notes that gaming is ultimately a business, so this decision makes a lot of sense.
- The ex-Sony developer believes fans will eventually move on from complaining about this issue.
PlayStation’s continued move toward digital game distribution has sparked criticism from players concerned about physical media and software preservation. Many developers, such as Yoko Taro and Hideo Kojima, have also expressed disappointment at this move.
However, the God of War creator believes the underlying financial pressures make that transition increasingly difficult to avoid.
Why it matters: A digital-first PlayStation business would give Sony greater control over pricing, but players could lose many of the ownership and preservation benefits associated with physical media.
David Jaffe’s comments from his latest video highlight the decline of physical games as a reality rather than a decision based purely on greed. He points out that even if PlayStation ships millions of physical games, those games are returned to Sony if retailers are unable to sell them off to gamers.
As expected, the God of War creator also discussed PlayStation’s larger cut from digital sales compared to physical sales. Moreover, he pointed out that companies won’t keep paying for factories, trucks, cases, etc. to cater to a small audience interested in physical games.
Isn’t this anti-consumer? The reality of the gaming industry is that it’s a business.
-David Jaffe
As per the God of War creator, there’s a major disconnect between gamers’ demands and the financial reality of the industry.
Pointing to $300 million+ games, the ex-PlayStation developer pointed out that gamers don’t necessarily understand these parts of the industry enough to grasp just how much costs have risen over the years.
Jaffe believes that, like pushback to past decisions such as the iPhone’s 3.5mm jack, backlash to PlayStation’s physical disc cancellation will eventually die down, with a digital-only future becoming the norm at some point.
What are your thoughts on the God of War creator’s perspective? Let’s discuss in the comments.
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Moiz Banoori, with a decade of experience in gaming and tech journalism and a degree in journalism, is a notable figure in the industry. He has contributed to various esteemed platforms, showcasing his expertise in both reporting and opinion writing.
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