Former Sony Interactive Entertainment Worldwide Studios CEO, Shawn Layden, believes Sony cannot afford to release a completely digital, disc-less PlayStation 6. While acknowledging Xbox's success with this strategy, Layden emphasizes Sony's significantly larger global market share. Eliminating physical games would alienate a substantial portion of their player base.

Layden highlighted that Xbox's digital-first approach thrives primarily in English-speaking countries (U.S., Canada, UK, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa). Conversely, Sony's dominance spans approximately 170 countries worldwide. He questioned the feasibility of a disc-less model, considering the connectivity challenges faced by players in less developed regions, citing rural Italy as an example. He also pointed out the reliance on physical games by specific demographics like traveling athletes and military personnel. Layden suggested Sony is likely assessing the potential market loss associated with abandoning physical media. The key question, he posed, is determining the acceptable level of market share loss before transitioning to a fully digital platform. Even with the next generation, he believes Sony's vast global reach makes a completely disc-less console a difficult proposition.

The debate surrounding digital-only consoles has intensified since the PlayStation 4 generation, fueled by Xbox's release of digital-only consoles. Both PlayStation and Xbox offer digital-only versions of their current consoles (PS5 and Xbox Series X/S), yet Sony has remained hesitant to fully embrace a disc-less model. This is partly due to the option of adding a separate disc drive to even their digital-only PS5 consoles, including the PS5 Pro. However, the rise of subscription services like Xbox Game Pass and PlayStation Plus's Games Catalog raises questions about the long-term viability of physical games.

Physical media sales are declining, and many major publishers are releasing games that require an internet connection even when purchased on disc. Layden notes that this trend renders the traditional two-disc format (install and play) obsolete, with additional content now delivered as downloads.

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