How Sony Could Justify the Inevitable PS6 Game Price Hike Delivering a Win-Win For Players

The PS6 is on the horizon and could be a much bigger leap than the current generation console. The current generation is doing well with the hardware provided, and game developers continue to make the best video game experiences with the tools they are presented with; however, these experiences come at a premium cost.

The time of physical media is nearly up, especially at the dawn of the digital age. Everything is now digital, which is much more convenient; however, the feeling of ownership will eventually be inevitably removed. Players back in the day liked to stack up countless video game cases, and those days are nearly gone.

The Next Generation Could Appeal to Both Physical and Digital Consumers

There has been a long debate about people’s transition to the digital age when everything can now be bought digitally, which is much more convenient; however, some people prefer to have something to hold on to. California Governor Gavin Newsom signed a new law that forces digital storefronts to clarify that consumers bought a license to use the product they paid for and do not own anything outright.

Not everything people pay for through their credit cards is theirs to keep. They have paid for licenses with expiration dates that can be revoked under certain conditions. None of these problems are present in buying a physical copy where players buy a game, open it, and install it without looking over their shoulder at their games being taken.

Blu-Ray movies were released with a digital code inside the physical case, making it convenient for movie owners to watch their movies on any mobile device. The gaming industry could learn from this structure to justify the higher price tag for the next console generation.

Take a player with an impressive library of physical games who has to travel or move from one place to another; for example, they would have to bring their entire collection along with their PS5, which is a hassle. Perhaps the next generation could introduce a method where physical media owners are now entitled to download a free digital copy of a product to remove the obstacle of bringing physical copies on the road.

Some people have been well-adjusted to this new ecosystem where any game they bought can be directly downloaded to their PlayStation and they can play without hassle; however, some people are stuck in the old ways of going to a physical shop and paying full price for a newly released game. $70 is no chicken feed but there are perks to buying physical media like reselling and this method to earn is blocked off for digital media consumers.

Either side of the physical versus digital dilemma has positives and negatives that are uneasy to solve. Physical games can play whatever is burned into the disc without hassle and can be sold later on, but players can’t always bring all their discs wherever they go with their console. Digital games can be booted into the console without inserting a disc easily, but what would happen if the licenses were to expire or the PlayStation Network were down?

The PS6 Could Be Released With a Companion Handheld That Can Run Impressive PlayStation Games Natively

Gaming is an expensive hobby, and the premium price tags on each item with an official seal are proof of it. Most modern games are priced at $70 for the PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, and Xbox, and there is a strong likelihood these could increase for the next generation. Players will be hesitant to pay for something that removes the convenience of playing a game on their console if they leave for a long time; however, adding a digital code in the package could be the middle ground for the inevitable price hike.

Jim Ryan has already signed on with AMD to develop the operating chip for the next-generation PlayStation and has the opportunity to do something that worked well in the past. The PlayStation Portal was revealed a while ago, and some people are on the fence about grabbing this dedicated remote player handheld device, the portable device is selling extremely well in the United Kingdom. Perhaps Sony could finally build a dedicated handheld device to release alongside the PS6 that can play their games on the go without a console tethered to it.

The gaming community is interested in a dedicated handheld device capable of playing modern triple-A games anywhere. Perhaps Sony could kill two birds with one stone next generation; even if they were to increase the prices of a game to $80 or $90, players would be encouraged to buy, especially if it comes with a digital version that they could use for their hypothetical handheld device coming out with the console.

Rather than spending money for a physical version to keep sealed for collecting purposes and a digital version, one premium price tag for the price of two items is a good deal. Players will have the option to resell their discs or the digital code; it is purely up to their discretion and has the best of both worlds. This method would give players options and allow them to experience their games however they want to.

Would you like to see publishers sell physical media with a digital code inside the package for the PS6 era? Let us know in the comments section below!