Laura Fryer, a veteran of the video game industry and one of the founding members of the original Xbox project, is sounding the alarm regarding the industry's rapid transition toward an all-digital marketplace. Her concerns are centered on the recent announcement that PlayStation will cease the production of physical game discs starting in 2028.
In a recent video uploaded to her YouTube channel, Fryer argues that the shift away from physical media puts consumer ownership at risk. She shared a personal anecdote involving the game Rock Band to illustrate the fragility of digital purchases. Fryer explained that she had invested hundreds of dollars into downloadable songs for the game, only to lose access to them after a licensing issue occurred and her original Xbox hardware required replacement. Because the songs had been delisted from the store, they could not be redownloaded on her new console.
"Eventually, we just gave up," Fryer says. "We gave up on our favorite family game."
The Digital Ownership Problem
Fryer describes her Rock Band experience not as an isolated technical glitch, but as a "blueprint for what Sony is planning next." She points out that for decades, publishers have sold digital versions of games that lack a physical token of ownership. As PlayStation moves to a discless model, she believes scenarios where players lose access to their purchased content will become increasingly common.
While some industry analysts suggest the physical market share has shrunk to as low as 10% compared to 90% digital, Fryer argues that these figures are misleading. She contends that including digital-only titles in these comparisons creates a skewed perception, making the digital market appear more dominant than it truly is.
Strategic Moves and Market Control
Beyond the loss of individual game libraries, Fryer suggests that the move to a discless ecosystem is a strategic effort by major publishers to consolidate control. She argues that going digital allows companies like Sony and Microsoft to effectively eliminate the second-hand market and prevent older game libraries from competing with new releases on subsequent console generations.
"All the major players; Sony, Microsoft, even Hollywood; they're all aligned here," Fryer says. "Digital kills the used market and it stops the old library from competing with new games on the next console."
Fryer also highlights the shift in industry standards by referencing GTA 6, which she identifies as a primary example of a major title opting for a digital-only release. In her view, Sony waited for Rockstar Games to "take the heat" for this move before committing to an all-digital future themselves.
The Future of Digital Platforms
Even platforms often trusted by gamers, such as Valve’s Steam, are not immune to these concerns, according to Fryer. While she admits that most of her own library is digital, she expressed worry about the long-term stability of these platforms. She noted that platforms depend heavily on leadership, and changes at the top—such as the recent "reset" seen under Xbox CEO Asha Sharma—can lead to rapid shifts in company priorities.
"Digital is convenient until someone else decides you've had enough," Fryer says. "And there are some games and movies where I will never have enough."