Ars Finds 19 PlayStation Games' Digital Discounts Often Beat Used Discs as Sony Eyes 2028 Phaseout
Updated
Updated · Ars Technica · Jul 20
Ars Finds 19 PlayStation Games' Digital Discounts Often Beat Used Discs as Sony Eyes 2028 Phaseout
3 articles · Updated · Ars Technica · Jul 20
Summary
Ars' review of 19 top-selling PlayStation games found PlayStation Store sale prices often dropped below the cheapest physical-disc options, even though used discs were usually the lowest-cost choice across most of the year.
15 of the 19 games carried a standard digital price that was the most expensive option, with some six- to eight-year-old titles still listed at $59.99 while used GameStop copies sold for $9.99.
The analysis compared Sony's listed store prices and lowest discounts over the past year with new-disc prices at Amazon, pre-owned prices at GameStop, and recent eBay sales, adjusting for DLC bundles and PS5 upgrade costs.
That pattern suggests Sony's planned 2028 end to PlayStation disc production may not eliminate bargain digital buying during frequent sales, even as it removes the market for cheap used discs and raises ownership concerns.