Sony thinks discs will be around for a while yet

While digital downloads are certainly becoming a dominant distribution platform for PC gamers, consoles users aren't quite there yet according to Sony's VP of PlayStation brand marketing, Guy Longworth, who thinks disc based gaming will be around for much longer than people give it credit for.

During a chat with Games Industry, Longworth revealed: “it's clear that the vast majority of the people want to go down to GameStop or Best Buy, they don't want to buy it online right now.” While that statement doesn't pan out so much for British gamers, who have a different set of retail outlets to choose from, it's a point we've mentioned before.

Longworth has only been in the gaming industry for a couple of years, but he seems quite taken with it

However, just because Longworth sees physical game media being around for a while to come, it doesn't mean that Sony isn't investing in digital distribution, far from it: “Our digital business is growing fast, and we have incredibly strong partnerships with our key retail partners as well,” he continued. “What we try to do is offer a relatively level playing field and let the gamers decide.”

He then went on to take a small jab at Microsoft by saying that: “We're not trying to advantage them, we believe in consumer choice.”

Microsoft took a lot of flak recently for its disregard of gamer opinions and then some more for its complete policy reversal. Contrastingly, Sony has ridden a wave of popularity.

KitGuru Says: While the humble disc might have died a death far sooner under Microsoft's reversed policies, now it will indeed hang around for a bit longer – hopefully indefinately to some extent, if the pre-owned market isn't crushed under the heel of publishers.

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