David Jaffe, the creator of the original God of War, believes that the gaming industry's shift away from physical releases is not due to corporations wanting to gain complete control over the market, but rather to economic realities.
According to him, the budgets for modern AAA games already exceed $300 million, so publishers are looking for any way to cut costs and increase profits. Manufacturing boxes, printing discs, logistics, and working with retail stores all require additional expenses, whereas digital distribution allows for higher margins.
Jaffe called the abandonment of physical media a "brutal, inevitable financial reality" for an industry trying to maintain the profitability of expensive projects.
He also noted that third-party publishers are not resisting PlayStation's digital direction because they themselves benefit from it. Such companies are likely "popping champagne" at the prospect of greater control over sales and reduced distribution costs for games.
However, Jaffe admits that such arguments are unlikely to convince collectors to abandon their love for physical editions. The reason for these changes lies in corporate interests and the rapidly increasing cost of developing AAA games.