Killing physical discs will make digital games cheaper, according to a former Square Enix exec

A former Square Enix exec argues Sony ending PS5 discs could actually make PS Store prices cheaper, not more expensive, contrary to popular belief.

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Hassam Nasir

Tech Reporter

Published Aug 15, 2026 4:15 PM CDT

1 minute & 30 seconds read time

TL;DR: A former Square Enix exec, Jacob Navok, argues that ending PS5 discs could lower PS Store prices because publishers would compete directly on a digital storefront-similar to Steam-rather than matching physical retail. He notes publishers set PS Store prices and says storefront competition affects developer cuts more than consumer prices, but admits this is speculative amid evidence digital PlayStation games have averaged 47% higher prices than disc versions.

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Jacob Navok, a former Square Enix business development director, thinks Sony killing off PlayStation discs will actually make digital games cheaper, not more expensive. That's the opposite of what most players expect, given the backlash Sony's disc phaseout has already received.

Navok's argument is that current PS Store prices are tied to physical retail pricing. Once discs disappear, he thinks publishers will compete more directly with each other on the PS Store, similar to how pricing behaves on Steam. He points to Final Fantasy XVI's falling Steam price as an example, arguing that competition between publishers, not competition between storefronts, is what actually pushes prices down over a game's lifecycle.

He also pushed back on the idea that Sony sets digital pricing directly. According to Navok, publishers set their own prices on the PS Store, a point a former PlayStation executive has made before. Sony's Store operates more like a marketplace than a price-setter, at least on paper. He argues that competition between storefronts like Steam and the Epic Games Store mostly changes the cut developers keep, not the price players actually pay.

It's a very different take from most of the discourse around Sony's decision to end physical disc production by January 2028. Most reactions assume prices will only go up once physical competition disappears, since digital storefronts historically haven't discounted as aggressively as retail.

That fear isn't unfounded either. Research cited in a Dutch lawsuit against Sony found that digital PlayStation games cost an average of 47% more than the same game on disc. If that pattern holds, removing the cheaper option doesn't obviously translate into lower digital prices.

Killing physical discs will make digital games cheaper, according to a former Square Enix exec 1

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Question #1

How does Jacob Navok explain the link between PlayStation disc phaseout and potential lower PS Store prices?

Navok argues that current PS Store prices are anchored to physical retail pricing, so if discs disappear publishers will compete directly on the PS Store and drive prices down similar to Steam. He points to Final Fantasy XVI's falling Steam price as an example and emphasizes that publishers, not Sony, set PS Store prices, while competition between storefronts mainly changes developer revenue rather than consumer prices. He also admits this outcome is speculative.

Answered

Question #2

What evidence does the article cite comparing Steam discounting (e.g., Final Fantasy XVI) to PS Store pricing behavior?

The article cites Jacob Navok pointing to Final Fantasy XVI’s falling Steam price as an example of how publisher competition on a digital storefront can drive prices down over a game’s lifecycle. It also notes counterevidence: research from a Dutch lawsuit finding digital PlayStation games cost an average of 47% more than the same game on disc, and the observation that Steam’s heavy discount culture has not similarly appeared on PSN or the Nintendo eShop despite most console sales being digital.

Answered

Question #3

Who sets prices on the PS Store according to the article, and how does that affect potential price changes?

The article says publishers set their own prices on the PS Store, with Sony’s store operating more like a marketplace than a price-setter. According to former exec Jacob Navok, that means potential price changes would be driven by competition between publishers (which he argues could push prices down in a fully digital market), though the article also notes historical data showing digital prices have been higher than disc prices.

Answered

Question #4

What counterarguments or data does the article give that suggest digital prices might remain higher without discs?

The article cites a Dutch lawsuit finding digital PlayStation games cost on average 47% more than the same game on disc, which implies removing discs could leave prices higher. It also notes that Steam-style discount culture has not emerged strongly on PSN or the Nintendo eShop despite most console sales already being digital, and that Navok himself admits his view is speculative and that storefront competition often affects developer revenue shares rather than consumer prices.

Answered

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Navok's own post admits this is speculative. He's betting a fully digital catalog will behave more like Steam's constant sales, but Steam's discount culture hasn't shown up much on PSN or the Nintendo eShop, even though the majority of console game sales have already gone digital for years. If that shift hasn't produced steeper discounts yet, it's not obvious why removing discs entirely would change that now.