“If You Can't Sell It, You Don't Own It”: Former PlayStation Boss Slams Sony Over Dropping Physical Discs
Shawn Layden joined Sony in 1987 and served as chairman of Sony Interactive Entertainment Worldwide Studios until 2019, presiding over one of the most celebrated eras in PlayStation history. During his tenure, the brand famously championed player ownership and mocked anti-consumer DRM restrictions with iconic game-sharing videos.
Appearing on The Expansion Pass podcast, the former PlayStation chief issued a blunt warning to Sony regarding reports that the company plans to abandon physical optical discs by 2028. According to Layden, eliminating physical media alienates the company's most dedicated fans and inflicts lasting damage on PlayStation's global reputation.
“If You Can't Sell a Thing, You Don't Own a Thing”
Layden did not mince words when discussing the transition toward an all-digital console ecosystem. In his view, the convenience of digital downloads conceals a dangerous shift away from genuine ownership.
“The more insidious aspect to it is that it changes the conversation to: do you own a game, or do you have access to a digital asset? If you can't sell a thing, that means you don't own a thing. And if you don't own it, then what are you buying? If you're buying access, that doesn't quite sound as sexy, to be honest.”
Layden noted that while pressing a controller button to download a title is certainly easier than crossing the living room to insert a disc, convenience should never come at the expense of consumer rights.
The Critical 20 Percent: Why Collectors Matter
Even though digital downloads now account for roughly 80% of video game sales, Layden stressed that dismissing the remaining 20% of physical buyers is a severe strategic mistake.
“That's a super important 20%. That is largely the most faithful of the faithful. That is, many times, the people who buy two copies of every game: one never gets out of the shrink wrap, and you play the other one, just like comic book collectors. We are an inquisitive, collecting sort of people, and we like to show off our stuff.”
This forced push toward digital-only hardware comes as players already push back against predatory hardware pricing, seen across unprecedented markups on PS5 Pro consoles and optical disc drive add-ons.
A Lasting Hit to PlayStation's Brand Reputation
Layden expressed skepticism over corporate cost-cutting measures, warning that spreadsheets fail to capture the loss of consumer goodwill.
“I'm sure this is a heavily spreadsheeted decision where costs are being contained and profit is being extracted. But people will game out the worst-case scenario. That is a whole lot of brand hit and reputation bite. That's a significant brand hit, and I hope it made sense to them.”
When the architect of PlayStation's greatest modern successes warns that ditching physical media turns gamers into mere renters, platform holders would be wise to listen.
SEO consultant for over 20 years and digital entrepreneur, Charles 'Grimtag' Ronchain is the founder of Pro-Gamer.gg, Retrocharting.com, and Gamescharting.com. A competitive gamer, streamer, and retro game collector, he has worked in the video game industry for over 15 years, notably as a consultant for leading game price comparison platforms. Passionate about real-time performance data and gaming technology, he analyzes competitive esports, gaming hardware benchmarks, and creator workflows on Pro-Gamer.gg with an authentic player perspective.
