Ex–Square Enix Exec Claims PS5 Disc Drop Could Boost PS Store Deals

Sony’s decision to move away from game discs on PlayStation has sparked pushback from players—but one high-profile industry voice argues the change could end up helping shoppers by increasing pressure on digital pricing. Jacob Navok, ex–Square Enix commercial development director and CEO of Genvid, says competition among publishers, not competition between digital storefronts, is what will ultimately shape how low prices go on the PlayStation Store.

PlayStation disc exit window and the digital pricing debate

Navok weighed in on the community discussion that followed Sony’s announcement that discs would be left behind for both PS5 and PS6 starting in early 2028. In his post, he focused on how digital game prices are determined, arguing that it’s publisher competition that matters most.

His core point: “Competition between publishers determines pricing, not competition between digital stores,” because—unlike physical retail scenarios—publishers set the prices for their games on digital storefronts. He also suggested that while storefront competition can improve revenue shares for developers, it does not necessarily force game prices down by itself.

Navok then linked Sony’s move to the likelihood of stronger discounting later. He said that if the PlayStation Store becomes more central to how PlayStation players buy games, digital prices would be more likely to trend downward. The reasoning is straightforward in his view: as more sales shift toward a console ecosystem with a single dominant store, publishers will face greater incentives to compete directly for users—leading them to run more discounts and promotions to attract buyers.

In other words, the disc-to-digital transition could reshape pricing pressure over time—not through storefront rivalry alone, but through heightened publisher competition for visibility and sales inside the PlayStation ecosystem.