Buying a video game isn't what it used to be. Not so long ago, bringing home a disc or cartridge meant the game was yours. You could lend it to a friend, sell it second-hand, or play it twenty years later on an offline console. Those days are rapidly disappearing.
Today, as companies like Sony aggressively push toward an all-digital future, we no longer buy games. We buy a revocable software license. In other words, temporary permission to access content that ultimately depends on servers and licensing agreements controlled by someone else.
The Race for Higher Margins: Why Kill Physical Games?
The gradual disappearance of physical media on the PlayStation ecosystem—illustrated by disc-less consoles and persistent rumors of a fully digital future—is not an accident. It is a carefully calculated business strategy designed to maximize profits while increasing Sony's control over game distribution.
By eliminating physical discs, Sony achieves several major economic objectives:
- Higher profit margins: No manufacturing costs, packaging expenses, warehousing, or global shipping.
- Removing intermediaries: No revenue sharing with physical retailers such as Amazon, GameStop or local gaming stores. Sony keeps 100% of the transaction on the PlayStation Store.
- The death of the second-hand market: Publishers have long disliked used game sales because they generate no additional revenue. Without physical copies, every player must purchase directly from the official store.
- Complete pricing control: Sony effectively operates a monopoly within its digital ecosystem. If a game remains priced at $79.99 several years after release, consumers have far fewer competitive alternatives.
🛡️ Is Your Connection Protecting Your Privacy?
Modern digital rights management systems often rely on online authentication services. Check whether your own IP address and connection reveal more than you expect.
Run the VPN Check →The Illusion of Ownership and the Reality of DRM
The biggest issue with digital ownership is the lack of long-term guarantees for consumers. By accepting the PlayStation Network Terms of Service, users agree that Sony retains the right to modify, suspend or revoke access to purchased content under certain circumstances.
Recent examples have demonstrated how fragile digital ownership can be.
“Sony removed hundreds of Discovery television shows that users had legally purchased through the PlayStation Store after commercial licensing agreements expired.”
Similarly, when online games become unprofitable, publishers may shut down authentication servers entirely. Ubisoft's The Crew famously became unplayable—even in single-player mode—after its servers were retired. If a PSN account is permanently banned, users may instantly lose access to their entire digital library, potentially worth thousands of dollars.
The PSN Requirement Controversy: Geographic Exclusion
The consequences become even more significant when combined with Sony's growing requirement for PlayStation Network accounts. Sony recently expanded these requirements for PC players, including titles such as Helldivers 2 and Ghost of Tsushima.
At first glance, creating a PSN account appears to be a simple and free registration process. In reality, it creates a geographical barrier for millions of players worldwide.
The PlayStation Network is officially available in only around 70 countries. This means that more than 120 countries and territories across Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe, the Caribbean and the Middle East are excluded from official PSN access.
What Are the Real Consequences?
- Inability to play purchased games: If a title requires PSN authentication, players living in unsupported regions may be unable to play despite owning compatible hardware.
- Violating the Terms of Service: Players often create accounts using another country's region settings. While common, this practice violates Sony's Terms of Service and theoretically exposes users to account suspension or permanent bans.
- PC game restrictions: During the Helldivers 2 controversy, Steam removed the game from sale in more than 170 countries where PSN was unavailable due to Sony's account requirements—an unprecedented example of digital exclusion on a global scale.
🌍 How Do Websites Know Which Country You're In?
Sony and other online platforms rely on IP geolocation databases to determine where users are connecting from.
See What Your IP Reveals →How Can Consumers Respond?
Consumer rights movements are already emerging worldwide. Initiatives such as the European campaign Stop Killing Games advocate for legislation requiring publishers to preserve functionality when official support ends—for example by allowing private servers or offline modes.
Individual players can also adapt their purchasing habits:
Video games are both art and culture. If we accept a future where physical media disappears and geographic restrictions determine who is allowed to play, we risk transforming entire libraries of interactive works into revocable subscriptions.
Remember: if you don't own the disc or a DRM-free installer, you don't truly own the game.