A MORE AFFORDABLE PS5 WILL BE WHAT PERSUADES MORE PEOPLE TO EMBRACE THE DIGITAL FUTURE.

Why it’s time to go digital in the next generation – but at what cost?

The world’s going digital, and it’s not just online events springing up in the wake of the pandemic driving this; gaming has been getting more and more digital over the years. Last year the April to June digital sales on PS4 represented 53% of the market. So it makes sense that with PS5 we have the option to go digital all the way.

For me, it’s a logical step forward since my games are practically all downloads. And when you have to install the whole game onto the hard drive anyway, why even bother with a physical disc? Just cut out the middle man.

Without a built-in optical disc drive, the digital-only PlayStation 5 is also going to be the more affordable option, undeniably the factor that will persuade more people to embrace the digital future. Sweetening the deal is that two of the most popular games right now, Fortnite and GTA Online, will be free to download at launch.

Yet there’s a catch to all this. Sure, you’ll save money on the console price, but any price-smart shopper will know you can buy the latest games from an online retailer for £5-10 less than you’ll have to fork out on PSN. Going digital also means cashstrapped gamers will find themselves locked out of the trade-in and secondhand market, and as far as I’m aware, an external disc drive isn’t going to work if you change your mind and decide to go back to discs later.

CAN YOU DIGIT-AL?

Even if I do go fully digital with PS5, what happens to the previous generation of games? It’s going to be a real kicker to have a backwards-compatible console if I can’t use it to play the physical PS4 games I still own without buying them all back digitally first. I’m not sure if Sony will have a satisfying solution for this, although a more flexible refund policy for digital purchases would be a start.

Ultimately, I suspect what will make me go digital this holiday season isn’t price but aesthetics. Let’s face it, that console looks a lot cleaner without a lumpy disc drive poking out on the side, doesn’t it? It’s almost like they designed it that way on purpose, the sly digital devils.

WRITER BIO

Alan Wen is a writer who voices a lot of opinions, mostly in reviews of games he receives as digital code. A lot of his views can be found on the internet, but nothing beats seeing those words in print.