Business
71% of Gamers Say They’re Not Ready to Let Physical Games Die as PlayStation and Xbox Go Fully Digital
A new survey suggests the majority of gamers remain deeply attached to physical game discs, even as both PlayStation and Xbox move decisively toward all-digital futures for their next generation of releases.
According to a reader poll conducted by Windows Central, 71 percent of the 1,577 respondents said they will miss buying physical games, while only 13 percent said they were happy to embrace a fully digital future. The remaining respondents expressed more neutral or mixed views on the shift. The results reflect a wave of consumer pushback that has followed Sony’s announcement earlier this month that it will end production of physical game discs for new PlayStation titles starting in January 2028.
Sony confirmed the change in a post on the PlayStation Blog, stating that physical game disc production for all new games releasing on PlayStation consoles will be discontinued starting in January 2028, after which new titles will be available only through the PlayStation Store or at retailers in digital format. The company framed the decision as a response to shifting consumer habits, writing that the move represents “a natural direction for Sony Interactive Entertainment to adapt to consumer trends as the general preference for digital media significantly outpaces physical discs.” Sony added that the shift is intended to align the company more closely with how most of its player base already accesses and plays games.
The announcement does not affect games that have already been released, or that will be released, on disc prior to the January 2028 cutoff. Existing physical libraries and previously purchased titles will remain playable, according to Sony’s statement. The company also disclosed plans to shut down the PlayStation Store on the PlayStation 3 in select markets later this year, with global closures of the PS3 and PlayStation Vita digital stores expected to follow in the coming year, a move that will prevent players from purchasing new digital content on those older systems going forward.
Industry data cited alongside the announcement suggests the shift toward digital purchasing has been underway for some time. Sony has reported to investors in recent years that a growing share of PlayStation game purchases are made digitally rather than on disc, with recent figures indicating that nearly four out of five full-game purchases on PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 over the past year were made digitally. Some industry estimates have placed that figure as high as 80 to 85 percent of total game sales.
The timing of Sony’s announcement drew additional attention because it came just days after Rockstar Games, the studio behind the long-awaited title “Grand Theft Auto 6,” confirmed that its physical retail edition would include only a digital download code inside the box rather than an actual game disc. That decision had already frustrated a segment of players who continue to place value on collecting physical editions of major game releases, and it appeared to foreshadow the broader industry shift Sony would formalize shortly afterward.
Xbox has signaled a similar trajectory, though it has not yet made as sweeping a public announcement as Sony’s. Reports from The Verge indicate that employees within Microsoft’s gaming division have begun testing a new disc-to-digital feature, known internally as Xbox Positron, that would allow players to digitize existing physical game collections for the Xbox One and Xbox Series X and S consoles. Additional reporting has suggested that Microsoft’s next-generation console effort, referred to as Project Helix, is also expected to drop a physical disc drive entirely, mirroring the direction Sony has now made official.
Reaction to Sony’s announcement has been largely critical among longtime gaming communities and industry commentators. Writing for Forbes, contributor Paul Tassi described the move as inevitable from an industry-trend standpoint, but argued it does little to benefit consumers, since it eliminates the option to purchase games physically altogether. Tassi also connected the decision to broader concerns about digital ownership, noting that Sony itself has previously removed previously purchased movies from its platforms due to licensing disputes, a pattern he said illustrates the risks associated with fully digital game libraries. He further raised concerns about the implications for game preservation efforts, which have historically relied heavily on physical copies to keep older titles accessible and playable over time.
Community response to the Windows Central poll echoed many of these same concerns. Readers who responded pointed to the loss of resale value, the inability to lend or gift physical copies to friends, and skepticism about whether eliminating discs would result in any meaningful cost savings passed on to consumers. Some commenters described the shift as part of a broader pattern across industries, comparing it to earlier transitions away from physical ownership in the music and film sectors. Notably, physical media has not disappeared everywhere: vinyl record sales have continued to grow in recent years, surpassing $1 billion in annual sales for the first time since 1983, according to industry figures, even as digital streaming has dominated the broader music business.
The broader home entertainment industry has followed a similar arc in recent years. Netflix wound down its DVD-by-mail rental business in 2023, marking the end of another major physical media distribution model. Sony’s decision to phase out PlayStation discs follows that same general trajectory, though the scale of the shift is notable given that PlayStation itself played a foundational role in popularizing the disc format for home gaming consoles following its debut in 1994.
The announcement has also raised questions about what the shift might mean for future PlayStation hardware, including the next-generation PlayStation console, which some industry observers do not expect to arrive for several more years. Whether that future console will include a disc drive at all remains unclear, though Sony’s current guidance suggests physical media support for new titles will effectively end well before any next-generation hardware reaches the market.
For now, players hoping to continue purchasing physical copies of new games have a window of roughly a year and a half before Sony’s cutoff takes effect in January 2028. Whatever changes follow on the Xbox side, the survey results suggest that a clear majority of gamers remain unconvinced that a fully digital future represents an improvement over the physical ownership model that has defined console gaming for more than three decades.
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OCBC analysts report the Thai Baht is near a 15-month low against the USD, pressured by rising oil prices, a stronger dollar, and higher US yields. The Bank of Thailand’s accommodative stance offers little support, though sharper depreciation could challenge policymakers if inflation concerns intensify.
Baht Under Pressure from Global Headwinds
The Thai Baht (THB) is trading near its weakest level in over 15 months against the US Dollar, as a confluence of external pressures continues to erode its value. According to OCBC’s Sim Moh Siong and Christopher Wong, the currency’s decline has been driven by a renewed spike in oil prices, compounded by a firmer USD and rising US Treasury yields. Thailand’s heavy reliance on imported energy makes it especially vulnerable to these global cost pressures, which in turn have stoked concerns about imported inflation. This dynamic has reinforced market expectations that US interest rates may remain elevated for longer, further diminishing the Baht’s relative appeal and sustaining depreciation pressure across the currency pair.
Bank of Thailand’s Accommodative Policy Adds to the Drag
Beyond external forces, the Bank of Thailand’s (BoT) monetary policy stance has also weighed on the currency. The central bank has maintained a notably accommodative posture, offering little support to counteract the Baht’s slide. Governor Vitai has publicly signaled no urgency to tighten policy, suggesting that authorities remain comfortable allowing gradual currency softness rather than intervening aggressively. This tolerance for gradual depreciation reflects a broader policy philosophy prioritizing growth and financial conditions over near-term currency stability. However, this passive approach means the THB currently lacks a domestic monetary policy buffer against the ongoing external shocks stemming from oil markets and shifting US rate expectations, leaving it more exposed to further weakening.
Risks of a Sharper Depreciation
Despite the BoT’s current tolerance for gradual THB softness, analysts caution that this stance could be tested if conditions worsen. Should oil prices remain elevated and imported inflation continue to build, the resulting economic strain may force policymakers to reconsider their passive approach. A sharper, more disorderly depreciation — rather than the current gradual slide — would likely raise concerns about financial stability and inflationary spillovers, potentially prompting the BoT to intervene or adjust its policy tone. In essence, while the central bank currently views Baht weakness as manageable, the combination of energy shocks and firm US monetary conditions represents a critical threshold that could compel a shift in Thailand’s policy calculus should pressures intensify further.
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Expanding specialty and innovative medicines portfolio, semaglutide launches across India and international markets, and the proposed Organon acquisition are major growth drivers in the medium term for the country’s largest pharma company by revenue and market cap. Despite pressure in the US generics segment, it has maintained the FY27 guidance of high single-digit revenue growth on account of continued traction in specialty products such as Leqselvi and Unloxcyt and strong momentum in the domestic business.
Read more: New F&O closing auction rules: Impact on traders, investors decoded
The short-term growth narrative is shifting away from traditional generics and toward specialty and innovative products. While the US formulations business declined 9.7% due to lower contribution from generic Revlimid and increased competition in some products, the company’s innovative medicines portfolio continued to gain traction across the US and international markets. The innovative portfolio will likely remain a key growth engine supported by products such as Ilumya, Odomzo and Cequa, along with the ramp-up of new launches. Motilal Oswal Financial Services (MOFSL) expects the specialty portfolio to deliver a 13% annual growth over FY26-FY28, aided by improving physician adoption and expanding market access.
AgenciesAnother potential growth lever is semaglutide. Beyond India, the company has secured approvals for generic semaglutide injections for Type-2 diabetes in South Africa and Brazil. The commercialisation is underway in South Africa while the Brazil launch is expected soon through a partner.
The medium-term outlook is led by a healthy innovation pipeline. Key milestones over the next 12-18 months include a USFDA decision on Ilumya for psoriatic arthritis in October 2026, topline phase-II data for GL0034 in Type-2 diabetes during the second half of 2027, progress on Fibromun, and regulatory filings for dermatology and oncology assets. The Organon acquisition is expected to complete by March 2027 quarter, which could expand Sun Pharma‘s global scale and product portfolio.
MOFSL has retained a ‘buy’ rating on the stock with a target price of ₹2,310, implying a 16% upside to Friday’s closing price of ₹1,989.4.The broking firm believes Sun Pharma remains on track for strong growth, supported by expansion in innovative medicines through partnerships, launches and wider reach.
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What are exchanges changing?
Exchanges are changing the way the official closing prices of certain stocks are decided. The daily closing price is one of the most important numbers for market participants. It is used to calculate index closing levels, mutual fund portfolios, and settle derivatives contracts.
At present, a stock’s closing price is based on the average price of trades done in the last 30 minutes, between 3 PM and 3:30 PM.
From August 3, stocks that are available in the futures and options segment will have a separate closing auction. Their final closing price will be decided through this auction, instead of using the average price over last 30 minutes.
AgenciesTill now a stock’s closing price was based on average price of trades done in last 30 mins
How will the new closing auction work?
For stocks part of the F&O segment, normal trading will end at 3:15, after which the closing auction will begin. During this session, buy and sell orders are collected instead of being executed immediately. The exchanges will then calculate a single price at which the maximum number of buy and sell orders can be matched. That price becomes the stock’s official closing price.
To prevent sharp price swings, the auction price can generally move only within 3% above or below the stock’s average traded price between 3 and 3:15.
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Investors can place both market and limit orders until 3:25. After that, only fresh limit orders are accepted, while market orders already entered cannot be changed or cancelled. These restrictions are meant to discourage last-minute changes or large market orders that could influence the closing price. Also, the auction will close at a random time between 3:28 and 3:30, making it harder for traders to time their orders at the last second.
What’s the big deal about last-minute order changes? Why should it matter?
One reason for the change is that there have been complaints about large orders being placed at the close of trading in a bid to influence the final price. Think of it as the final over of a cricket match. A few big shots in the last moments can alter the final score. Similarly, a few large trades just before the market closes can influence the closing price.
A closing auction helps find one common price at which the maximum quantity can be traded. This is expected to make the closing price more reliable and reduce the impact of sudden orders placed near the end of the session.
Another key reason for the change is to help mutual funds, especially passive funds, execute all their buy and sell orders in the closing auction. This will help them transact at or very close to the official closing price. Currently, asset managers place orders between 3 PM and 3:30 PM at different prices depending on available liquidity, which can lead to tracking errors. Brokerage Zerodha said the new rule helps improve the efficiency of the execution of large orders.
Then, what’s the relevance of the period between 3:30 and 3:40?
By around 3:35, the closing auction for stocks that have F&O contracts will be over. However, F&O contracts continue trading until 3:40. This gives F&O traders a few extra minutes to react to the stock’s final closing price before derivatives trading ends.
Does this mean the market will now close at 3:40?
No. For most stocks, trading will continue to end at 3:30. For stocks that have futures and options (F&O) contracts, normal cash-market trading will end at 3:15, after which a closing auction will determine the final closing price. Only the futures and options market will continue trading until 3:40.
Who will be impacted by the new rules? Do traders need to do anything differently?
The biggest impact will be on active traders, proprietary desks and other institutions that trade near the market close. Brokers could advance intraday square-off timings, so traders should check the revised cut-off times. Investors in non-F&O stocks are unlikely to notice much difference.
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