PlayStation CEO Hideaki Nishino said the company still sees live-service games as key to its future and will continue investing in the genre despite past failures. The comments follow scaled-back plans, multiple cancellations, and only one major hit in Helldivers 2.
Many people are trying various things, so Sony wants to continue taking on challenges in that context.
Of the titles that shipped, only Helldivers 2 achieved runaway success while others such as Concord proved short-lived.
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Sony is testing immediate wallet credits for buyers of select PlayStation Store games including The Blood of Dawnwalker and Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy, with credits as high as $10 appearing after purchase. The test, linked to a Wallet Credits app first spotted in February 2026, could point to a larger loyalty programme while mirroring long-standing Xbox Store tactics.
Sony confirmed on its July 31 earnings call that it will proceed with ending physical disc production for new PlayStation games by January 2028 despite fan criticism. The move reflects broader digitalization trends, as physical sales generated just over $781 million in fiscal 2025 compared to $6.5 billion from digital games and $8.4 billion from in-game purchases.
Sony executives outlined plans for the next PlayStation to provide brand-exclusive value instead of competing directly with PCs, while expanding play options beyond the living room through peripherals such as monitors and speakers. The statements respond to audience shifts toward PC gaming that occurred during the 2020 pandemic.
Sony will stop producing physical discs for all new PlayStation games starting January 2028, making them digital-only while still allowing retail sales without discs. The shift reflects consumer preference for digital and follows similar moves like Rockstar's GTA 6 box with a download code.
Hideo Kojima revealed he learned of Sony's decision to cancel funding for Physint during a June Zoom call, leaving him in shock and immediately concerned for his studio's 200 employees and its 10th anniversary. The news comes after PlayStation publicly stepped away earlier this month and Xbox took over the project, highlighting the tough conditions across the game industry.
