As reported by Fortune, for many years Sony defended itself against accusations of monopolizing the digital market by pointing to the existence of physical copies and a secondary market. It was boxed editions that allowed players to choose an alternative to the PlayStation Store.
According to Andrew Ching of the Carey Business School at Johns Hopkins University, after the disappearance of discs, this argument may lose its force. The expert noted that digital sales are controlled by Sony, while physical copies are often cheaper and can be resold.
Analyst Rhys Elliott also believes that the used games market created competition for digital sales. After abandoning discs, almost all turnover could shift to the PlayStation ecosystem.
Sony explains the decision by the growing popularity of digital distribution – physical versions currently account for less than 20% of sales. However, Fortune notes that many players still value the ability to buy, collect, and resell games on discs. It is the loss of this alternative that could become a problem for the company.