This is making the situation increasingly unfavorable for Sony because it’s not just gamers who are protesting against this monopoly anymore.
From a brutally realistic perspective, Sony’s decision to stop producing physical discs for its games is logical in a sense. However, there are also capitalist arguments against this move from the perspective of both consumers and game developers. If Sony stops selling physical discs, it will be the sole determinant of how much games cost on PlayStation. A Dutch consumer organization is currently suing Sony over the planned changes, stating last month that the disappearance of discs would mean the end of the used market and a lack of an alternative to the PlayStation Store. This would give Sony the power to decide how much games cost and how long they can be used for, starting in 2028.
At least, despite Steam’s immense popularity, Valve cannot force anyone to use it. We can still use platforms such as GOG or Itch.io. The disappearance of physical media on PCs has a different meaning from that on consoles. The consumer organization Stichting Massaschade & Consument, or SM&C, has received support from another key player in the growing video game consumer rights movement: Stop Killing Games. The latter posted a video on its YouTube channel explaining why it decided to stand with SM&C.
“Have you ever noticed that digital PlayStation games cost more than physical ones? You’d expect them to be cheaper, so what’s going on? Sony has a monopoly on digital game sales on the PlayStation platform, and once they stop selling physical games in 2028, you won’t have any choice at all. We’re supporting SM&C’s, Stichting Massaschade & Consument’s, lawsuit against Sony regarding its complete control over the pricing of the PlayStation Store. We’re fully supporting SM&C’s case in the Dutch court. SM&C must demonstrate to the court that it genuinely represents gamers, not merely claims to do so. Our support demonstrates this on a global scale. Every Dutch gamer who signs up strengthens this case directly.” the video says.
The game preservation website DoesItPlay, whose owner was in the news recently, will also be joining Stop Killing Games.
Source: PCGamer
