PS6 Rumor Is Hopeful News for Physical Game Fans

A new PlayStation 6 rumor should offer some hope to those who prefer physical games instead of digital ones. Over the last decade or so, we’ve seen a massive transition from physical games to digital ones. Of course, digital games have existed since the Xbox 360 and PS3, but due to slower internet speeds they took a while to download and they took up a great deal of your console’s default storage space. Not to mention, you sometimes had to actually wait weeks or months for a game to actually be available to download digitally. It wasn’t a very convenient method, but now it’s the preferred way to get games for a lot of people.

As a result, PS5 launched with a disc-less version in addition to one with a disc drive. It allowed Sony to sell a slightly cheaper version of the console and gave players options. Later down the line, PlayStation began selling the disc drive as an add-on which gave those who bought a digital-only console an option to be able to use discs on their console. Of course, this is great for games, but also things like movies as well since the PS5 also doubles as a 4K Blu-ray player as well.

PS6 Will Reportedly Have an Optional Disc Drive

However, some feared this was a last gasp for the physical games movement. As digital gaming becomes more popular, it only makes sense for companies to move away from it. However, according to Insider Gaming, the PS6 will still have an optional disc drive. Once again, it will be sold a la carte and allow players to purchase a digital console that can be upgraded later. There will still be a PS6 that automatically comes with a disc drive if players want that as well. Ultimately, the goal is to cut costs for Sony as much as possible and cater to the different audiences.

The PS6 is sounding extremely versatile as it is also rumored to have a Nintendo Switch-esque docking feature. It is expected that the PS6 will release concurrently with a handheld that will exceed the power of a PS5, though likely be weaker than the PS6 itself. Ultimately, the PS6 sounds like it will have a lot of different options. The handheld is rumored to be sold separately and as a companion piece to the console, so players can have a somewhat custom experience with the new console.

With console generations lasting about seven or eight years, it wouldn’t be surprising if this is the last generation that actually supports disc drives. The PS6 is rumored to launch in 2027, so by the mid-2030s, discs could be completely irrelevant depending on how much audiences continue to engage with them.

Major retailers have phased them out or reduced how many physical games they carry, a lot of companies don’t even put the full game on the physical disc or cartridge, and more people are incentivized to buy them digitally for pre-loading and sometimes even the ability to play them early as a pre-order bonus. However, there is still a niche market for physical games, so perhaps there’s a chance they can show there’s still demand for those products.

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