Phantom Blade Zero Showcase Was Swamped By Disc Protesters

Key Points:

• Sony's recent Phantom Blade Zero State of Play livestream kept chat open, leading to a flood of "no disc no buy" comments criticizing the game's lack of a physical disc version.
• The upcoming action-RPG from Chinese developer S-Game is only available for pre-order digitally, sparking controversy and speculation that it may not have a physical release, ahead of Sony's plan to phase out discs by 2028.
• Despite the backlash, Sony has not responded to the criticism and removed the "Top chat replay" option from the archived video, but fans continue to flood comments with complaints focused almost exclusively on the absence of physical copies.
• While only 15% of PlayStation games are bought on disc in the U.S., physical game sales remain significant in other countries like Germany (58%), France (55%), Japan (51%), and the UK (40-45%), indicating that the move away from discs will disproportionately impact these markets.
• Sony’s shift to digital-only for future consoles like the PS6 is driven by cost advantages, though it limits consumer rights and eliminates the resale market, provoking strong negative reactions from fans who prefer physical media.