Former Sony Interactive Entertainment Worldwide Studios CEO Shawn Layden believes Sony cannot afford to release a completely disc-less PlayStation 6. While acknowledging Xbox's success with a digital-only strategy, Layden points out Sony's vastly larger global market share. He argues that eliminating physical and offline games would alienate a significant portion of their player base.

Layden highlighted Xbox's stronger performance in primarily English-speaking countries, contrasting it with Sony's dominance across approximately 170 countries worldwide. He questioned the feasibility of a disc-less model, considering the potential impact on users in regions with less reliable internet access, citing examples like rural Italy. He also mentioned specific groups reliant on physical media, such as traveling athletes or military personnel stationed on bases with limited connectivity. Layden suggested Sony is likely researching the potential market impact of a disc-less console, acknowledging a tipping point where sacrificing a segment of their market might be deemed acceptable. However, he maintains that Sony's massive global reach makes a fully disc-less transition a significant challenge, even for the next generation.

This debate has persisted since the PlayStation 4 era, intensifying with Xbox's release of digital-only consoles. Both PlayStation and Xbox offer digital-only versions of their current consoles (PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S), yet Sony has resisted a complete shift to digital. Even Sony's digital-only consoles, including the PlayStation 5 Digital Edition, offer the option of adding a disc drive later. This contrasts with Xbox's commitment to digital services like Game Pass, a model Sony is mirroring with PlayStation Plus's game catalog. This raises questions about the long-term viability of disc-based games, especially given declining physical media sales and the increasing prevalence of games requiring online connectivity even when purchased on disc. The trend of publishers releasing games in unplayable states without internet access, exemplified by titles like Assassin's Creed Valhalla and Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, further underscores this shift. The practice of previously including two discs (install and play) is now often replaced by downloadable content.