2 Attachment(s)
PS4 Digital Games Lead Massive Sales Increase In 2020
Digital games are leading massive sales for the PlayStation 4 in 2020. The gaming industry has made a hard push towards digital content with the current generation, with Microsoft even going so far as to produce an all-digital version of the Xbox One S. While physical discs are still relevant for many gamers, especially those who prefer having one for the sake of collecting, digital content is quickly becoming the preferred method of ownership among consumers.
Capitalizing on the digital trend, Sony has also announced it will produce an all-digital version of the PlayStation 5, foregoing the console’s disc drive for a cleaner, more symmetrical aesthetic. Other than the inability to play discs, the all-digital version of the PlayStation 5 will have no technical differences from the console’s standard model. Logic would also suggest the all-digital version of the system will retail at a slightly lower price due to less hardware being built into it, though, nothing is guaranteed given Sony has yet to announce the price for even the standard PlayStation 5.
With players spending more time at home due to COVID-19, PlayStation LifeStyle reports PS4 digital games are leading a massive sales increase in 2020. Digital sales have increased by 70% compared to the same time last year, which includes the increase of close to three million PlayStation Plus subscribers, currently sitting at 44.9 million. Overall, between April 1 and June 30, 91 million PS4 games were sold, an increase of over 41.2 million from the same time in 2019.
While the pandemic has allowed players to spend more time with their consoles and provided more opportunities to browse and purchase content, it isn’t the sole contributing factor explaining the surge in digital sales. The industry has seen a gradual increase in digital sales year-after-year. There are many advantages to purchasing digital content for gamers, some of which include the convenience of not having to go to the store and clearing up physical space in someone’s home due to not having discs and cases lying around or stocking shelves. Not to mention one’s inability to lose a digital game once it’s purchased (or redeemed if someone uses a product key), saving them the hassle of trying to find it or not being able to play it at all if they can’t locate it.
However, the downside to digital content is if someone gets locked out of their account – either because they forgot their password, or their information was compromised and stolen – then they can’t log into their profile and access their games. Even though companies have online resources for resetting passwords or customer service representatives that can assist over the phone, these forms and personnel often require account authentication (usually by sending a code or link to a cell phone or email), and if the caller can’t remember how to access their account’s email or no longer have that particular phone, they won’t be able to reset their password. This unfortunate scenario, while not common, is also not extremely rare, and when it happens, someone is forever unable to access their owned digital content.
