Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot Sees Upsides in PlayStation's Disc Phase-Out, Citing Cheaper Consoles

Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot has weighed in on Sony's controversial decision to discontinue physical discs for PlayStation 5 games, suggesting the move could bring some benefits. During a recent investor Q&A, Guillemot was asked about Sony's announcement that new PS5 games will be released only in digital format starting January 2028. While acknowledging the backlash from fans, he pointed to the PC market as an example of how going all-digital can help grow the industry and lead to more affordable consoles. 'What we saw on the PC is that it helped to grow the market,' Guillemot said. 'There's also some pressure for the future on the cost of machines and being able to be only digital will help to have a more accessible machine.' He concluded that the impact on the industry would be minimal, despite strong opposition from gamers. Guillemot's comments align with Sony's rationale that consumer preferences have shifted toward digital purchases. Sony noted that the vast majority of game sales are already digital, and the company is simply adapting to trends. However, critics raise concerns about game ownership and preservation. A former God of War developer revealed that Sony anticipated the outrage and imposed strict social media guidelines on staff. Financially, digital sales are far more profitable for Sony, as they keep 100% of first-party revenue and a larger cut from third-party titles. Analysts agree that Sony is unlikely to reverse course, as the financial incentives are too strong. Dr. Serkan Toto of Kantan Games said even a mass protest of 500,000 PlayStation Plus cancellations would be negligible for Sony's 50 million subscriber base. 'Digital is just too lucrative,' he concluded.