After Sony's decision to stop releasing new games on discs from 2028, players began to accuse the company of a possible increase in prices in the PlayStation Store. Former Senior Vice President of Sony Interactive Entertainment, Gordon Thornton, responded to the criticism.
According to him, PlayStation does not set the price of games in the digital store. The price is determined by the publishers themselves, who act as content providers.
Regarding accusations of monopoly and price manipulation, PlayStation operates on a buy-and-sell model where the publisher is the product supplier. It is the publisher who sets the recommended retail price, so Sony does not control these pricing structures.
Thornton believes that the transition to digital distribution is a natural evolution of the industry. The PlayStation Store accounts for about 80–85% of sales on the platform, and physical copies mostly compete only during releases.
The former executive noted that digital stores attract players with regular discounts, and the used game market is gradually losing its significance.