Sony's move away from physical game discs was largely inevitable, with data from Circana analyst Mat Piscatella highlighting a significant and consistent decline in physical game revenues over the past 16 years. This trend was foreshadowed by the rise of digital storefronts like Xbox Live Arcade and PSN in the late 2000s, which demonstrated gamers' willingness to purchase downloadable titles.

By the launch of the PlayStation Vita in 2012, Sony already mandated downloadable options for all physical game releases. Subsequent consoles continued this trend, making physical-exclusive releases rare by the late 2010s. Games are increasingly skipping retail entirely or offering "download in a box" versions.

Gamers have overwhelmingly favored digital convenience, with 27 percent of PS5 and 52 percent of Xbox Series hardware sold in the US being "Digital Only" editions. While a passionate community still prefers physical media, the data indicates this segment represents a small portion of Sony's current gaming business, explaining their apparent lack of concern.