Former Sony Interactive Entertainment Worldwide Studios CEO Shawn Layden has expressed skepticism about the feasibility of launching the PlayStation 6 as an all-digital, disc-less console. In a conversation with Kiwi Talkz, Layden emphasized that while Xbox has managed to find success with a digital-only approach, PlayStation's extensive global market share makes such a transition challenging.

"I don't think Sony can get away with it now," Layden remarked. He pointed out that Xbox's digital strategy has primarily been successful in English-speaking countries like the U.S., Canada, UK, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa. In contrast, Sony's market spans approximately 170 countries worldwide, and Layden believes that going fully disc-less could alienate a significant portion of their user base.

He further elaborated on the importance of catering to diverse markets, citing examples such as users in rural Italy who might not have reliable internet connections, as well as traveling athletes and military bases that rely on physical and offline games. Layden suggested that Sony is likely conducting research to understand how many of these groups they can afford to move away from.

"Which part of your market will be damaged by going to a disc-less market?" Layden posed. He believes that Sony is investigating the tipping point at which they can comfortably shift away from a portion of their market, but given the company's vast global reach, fully transitioning to a disc-less model remains a complex decision.

The discussion around digital-only consoles has been ongoing since the PlayStation 4 era, intensifying with the release of digital-only versions of the current PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X and S. While Sony has released digital versions of their consoles, such as the PlayStation 5 Pro, they still offer the option to upgrade with a separate disc drive, maintaining support for physical games.

The industry's shift towards digital distribution is underscored by the success of subscription services like Xbox Game Pass and Sony's PlayStation Plus Games Catalog. As sales of physical media continue to decline, and major publishers release games that require internet connections even for disc-based installations, the relevance of physical discs is diminishing. Examples include Ubisoft's Assassin's Creed Shadows and EA's Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, which require online installations despite being available on disc.

With the trend towards downloadable content replacing what used to be additional discs, the future of physical media in gaming remains uncertain. Layden's comments reflect the ongoing debate and the careful considerations Sony must make as they plan for future console generations.