A new price analysis shows that buying PS5 games on physical disc instead of digitally from the PlayStation Store can save you up to 50 euros in some cases. Given Sony’s plan to discontinue disc production starting in 2028, these figures cast a grim light on future price trends.
Database Compares 16 Award-Winning PS5 Titles
The Dutch website Tweakers used its Pricewatch database to analyze the price trends of 16 award-nominated PS5 games—including both first- and third-party titles, each available on disc and as a download. The result: The PlayStation Store generally offers discounts less frequently, and when it does, they’re usually only available for a short time. Physical copies, on the other hand, often become permanently cheaper in stores as soon as demand wanes.
God of War Ragnarök as a prime example
The difference is particularly striking with older first-party titles like God of War Ragnarök: On the PlayStation Store, the price usually hovers close to the original retail price, while major retailers like Amazon regularly offer the game at discounts of at least 50 percent. Although Sony itself occasionally offers similar discounts on exclusive titles, these promotions are usually short-lived.
Less Competition Due to the End of Disc Sales?
It remains to be seen how Sony’s gradual shift to purely digital distribution will affect retailers. According to the PlayStation Blog, retailers will be allowed to sell redemption codes for new releases in the future—they have been prohibited from offering digital PS Store credit since 2019. However, SKUs with codes included in the packaging—as recently discussed in the case of GTA 6—have so far been considered unpopular among retailers like GameStop. If physical games disappear completely, some retailers might stop selling them altogether—which would further reduce competitive pressure on the PlayStation Store.
With the elimination of discs, buyers will also lose the ability to resell games. In the Netherlands, a consumer protection organization has already filed a lawsuit against Sony: According to the plaintiffs, console owners pay an average of 47 percent more for digital games than for physical versions.
We’ve already discussed how Sony’s move away from discs affects users in our articles on the increased interest in PS5 jailbreaks and on why Nintendo is considered the last bastion of physical games.
If you’d still like to opt for physical copies, you can find *God of War Ragnarök* for the PS5 on Amazon, for example: View *God of War Ragnarök* (PS5) on Amazon.
Note: Prices at retailers are subject to change at short notice and may be limited in time or quantity.
