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[Lunatic_Gamer]

Disc editions of the PlayStation 5 (PS5) make up a majority of its console sales in the United States.

According to the latest data from Circana, 82% of the lifetime sales of the PS5 are those with a disc drive. That puts digital-only consoles at just 18% of the total sales.

Sony has made a push in recent years for players to move to the digital-only version of its system. Not only does the company charge less for the digital-only PS5, but the new PS5 Pro only comes in a digital version. In order to play discs, you’ll have to buy a disc drive separately, adding more to your cost.

That said, it appears that, so far at least, players are ok with spending a little extra for the option to play physical media on their console. And while a digital-only future seems likely for games, it doesn’t look like gamers are ready to fully go that route yet.

Disc Editions Make Up 82% Of All PS5 Console Sales

Gamers still want the option for discs as over 80% of all PS5 console sales in the US have been for the disc edition.

insider-gaming.com

 

[Ainem Enamas]

Seconds before purchasing: "..what if I'll need this"

 

[MikeM]

Good. People want options and don’t want to be chained to digital licenses that can be revoked. This goes for both games and movies.

 

[Elios83]

Lifetime and considering the digital edition was barely manufactured during the covid years.
But recently...:

40% of total PlayStation 5 hardware unit sales in September came from Digital PS5 consoles

 

[onQ123]

You will also have to add the people who bought the disc drive separately lol

 

[The_Observer]

Fuck digital future.

 

[DeepEnigma]

You will also have to add the people who bought the disc drive separately lol

And for the fact that the digital edition was virtually impossible to find until about late 2022 and into 2023 when stock issues were sorted out.

Software purchases on the other hand, are practically the opposite direction of the system splits.

 

[Topher]

 

[Xtib81]

Great. As long as we have a choice, I'm good.

 

[drotahorror]

Makes sense. For every 4 disc consoles sony made 1 discless.

Digital PS5 was way harder to get and less mass produced.

 

[xrnzaaas]

One good thing that came from the pandemic. With 80€ digital games and pitiful price drops during sales (for first party games) you can cover the difference in price really really fast.

 

[Putonahappyface]

 

[MisterXDTV]

Pointless data

What matters is the physical game sales split, many people have a disc drive they never use anyway.

PS5 with disc drive was much easier to find as well as it was the more expensive model

 

[Tsaki]

It'd actually be higher since some would have bought a Digital edition and then add a disc drive accessory

 

[lordrand11]

Good. People want options and don’t want to be chained to digital licenses that can be revoked. This goes for both games and movies.

Sadly, those digital licenses extend to the updates and are no more when the service is no more. Given the shipping of these games without the full game content on the disc being playable at times they're kind of screwing all the people that prefer it.

 

[cormack12]

People still living like it's 1980 man

 

[Guardian Monkey]

Well yeah because there were like 4 digital consoles available for sale the first few years. (Sarcasm) But digital consoles were rare the first few years for the PS5. We have already seen the more recent game sales demographic for Digital vs Physical. We know the direction moving forward.

 

[Punished Miku]

The future looks bright for physical media. Nothing to worry about.

 

[LectureMaster]

Even for folks who are prioritizing digitals, having a disc drive is peace of mind for the extra options. Let alone the availability of the digital version in the first three years was very limited.

 

[DeepEnigma]

People still living like it's 1980 man

 

[yogaflame]

Fantastic news. Physical will never die.

 

[R6Rider]

Digital consoles being harder to acquire early on is irrelevant (to digital copies sold). You don't have to buy physical copies on the disc version.

 

[Kupfer]

Our NeoGAF poll about that was quite accurate then, just 1% off with UPDATE #3

 

[Celcius]

When I preordered my ps5, the disc edition was all I could find in stock so that’s what I bought.

 

[Haint]

If accurate that makes PS5 Pro even more baffling. Like how could Sony have this data and say yeah, lets push out a $700 console with no disc drive, and not even a bundle with the addon.

 

[Crayon]

Those digitals were thin on the ground for like 2 years. Taking $100 off and only saving $20 on the drive was leaving money on the table for sony. I get that but raising it to $450 when it was finally available was lame. It was a good deal before that.

 

[Walter Matthau]

As promising as this sounds on the surface of things, I'm positive that the PS6 will be digital by default with a disc add-on option like the Pro. Sony knows it's a bigger mental hurdle to purchase an add-on even if everything is ultimately the same price as a standalone package.

Sony make more money from digital and not being able to sell your games is way for them to keep you locked into their ecosystem due to the sunken cost fallacy.

 

[proandrad]

I have a disc version and have never purchased a physical PS5 game.

 

[yogaflame]

If accurate that makes PS5 Pro even more baffling. Like how could Sony have this data and say yeah, lets push out a $700 console with no disc drive, and not even a bundle with the addon.

I'm sure it will bundled in the future and a Disc version will come out for its 2.0 version of the pro. I think the problem is there are few who manufacture the blue ray. It is now directly from Japan the Blue ray disc. Looks like those countries where manufacturing was outsource are gone and there really is pressure by the industry to force digital only. Even Disc drives there are few who are manufacturing it lately. It maybe not Sony's fault. Actually we have to be thankful that at least Sony has optional Disc drive made available through there own stock. But I agree they should have made a bundle with add on.

Maybe they want to empty there inventory of Disc drive add ons? Who knows.

The bottom line is for us physical supporter, let us keep supporting physical copy so that companies like Sony will realize that there's still a big market for it for them to change there mind and stop making it optional.

 

[Bridges]

Very interesting that the trend is people want the option for physical but tend to not use it. I'm the same with Xbox, I always want the disc drive but exclusively use digital.

However, the drive is useful for DVDs, Blu-rays and back compat titles. Consumers want options. I feel it's only a matter of time though before this goes the way of the headphone jack

 

[poodaddy]

I'm all digital and I still bought the disc drive version. I don't know, I just know that there's that chance I come across a physical disc for a game that's been delisted or something, and I want the option to play it that way if need be.

Then again, I'm that weirdo who still has a blue ray disc drive in my PC too. I like options.

 

[EN250]

And the other report about digital going up, was that about then?

 

[artsi]

And the other report about digital going up, was that about then?

I have a disc drive version

I don't use the disc drive

 

[Guardian Monkey]

Digital consoles being harder to acquire early on is irrelevant (to digital copies sold). You don't have to buy physical copies on the disc version.

But this is about console sales not game sales.

 

[Kupfer]

If accurate that makes PS5 Pro even more baffling. Like how could Sony have this data and say yeah, lets push out a $700 console with no disc drive, and not even a bundle with the addon.

For GAF, it is accurate.

It shouldn't be phrased as "Why do they do this despite having the data?", but rather "They do this because they have the data."

A disc drive provides the customer with a bit more independence, which is disadvantageous for Sony because they no longer have 100% control over the medium when selling physical games.

This is why a disc-less PS5 Pro is sold at a high price, which shifts the perception. Whereas before, the "budget" model was digital and the "regular" model had a disc drive, now the "regular" is digital, and the "premium" model comes with a disc drive.

Since customers are now accustomed to an already high price, Sony can sell the disc drive separately. The cost of the drive already compensates for the revenue losses Sony incurs compared to digital distribution.

 

[chokotoureiki]

I guess you can attribute Sony gamers to the salvation of the game industry also.

 

[asdasdasdbb]

I mentioned this in one of the earlier threads, I think Sony wants to find out how many people care enough to buy the drive separately and install it. Apparently this is a physiological hurdle for people.

 

[DeepEnigma]

If accurate that makes PS5 Pro even more baffling. Like how could Sony have this data and say yeah, lets push out a $700 console with no disc drive, and not even a bundle with the addon.

Software sales dictate it.

The first couple of years you could only find disc versions at a 4 to 1 clip. They were not making too many digital versions due to the money lost on each unit.

Even with these splits, the software sales are practically a complete opposite. It's not really that hard to parse.

I mentioned this in one of the earlier threads, I think Sony wants to find out how many people care enough to buy the drive separately and install it. Apparently this is a physiological hurdle for people.

It's such a hurdle, but in the same breath, "just build a PC"

 

[blastprocessor]

Sony: 82% of PS5's are disc editions.
Sony: Let's release PS5 Pro without a disc drive.

 

[SJRB]

Sony:

 

[rm082e]

I'm just glad the digital editions exist. It was mildly annoying getting a disc based PS4 and never using that drive.

 

[DonkeyPunchJr]

I don’t own a single physical PS5 game. I still went with the disc version for BC with my few PS4 discs + Blu Ray.

 

[DinoD]

I have a disc version. My disc/digital split is 50/50. My purchasing pattern is based on the price. New releases I mostly get on a disc ,(usually cheaper). Digital downloads during playstation store sales.

 

[HogIsland]

Sony: 82% of PS5's are disc editions.
Sony: Let's release PS5 Pro without a disc drive.

Right, they're calling their shot.

 

[Rocco Schiavone]

Digital only fanboys who are overwhelmed with changing discs.

 

[Vick]

I'm sure as fuck doing my part.

 

[March Climber]

I have a disc version and have never purchased a physical PS5 game.

Sadly, same. The disc editions were easier to find during the pandemic.

 

[Ozriel]

Essentially another $80 to the price of the PS5 Pro for most people.

 

[adamsapple]

Interesting to note that people buy hardware which has a disc drive, but more of the software sale is digital. Smart that most consumers would rather have the device that offers then the option if applicable.

 

[Omnipunctual Godot]

Lifetime and considering the digital edition was barely manufactured during the covid years.
But recently...:

40% of total PlayStation 5 hardware unit sales in September came from Digital PS5 consoles

That's the great thing about the disc edition -- you can choose the version you want.

There are several games I have digitally either through PlayStation Plus or because I know they're games I'll come back to periodically. But I also have shelves of physical games I bought on a whim because they were on sale and the physical price was much cheaper than digital.