Ex-PlayStation boss criticizes Sony's move away from discs

Former Sony Interactive Entertainment Worldwide Studios chairman Shawn Layden said he disagrees with Sony's decision to end physical game discs. He argued that the roughly 20% who buy discs are the most loyal players and that going digital changes the question of whether gamers actually own their games.

• Layden joined Sony in 1987 and retired from the company in 2019
• He estimated physical buyers at about 20% of the market
• Without resale, players don't own a game, he said
• Layden called the shift a significant hit to brand reputation