Major catch with the digital-exclusive PS6 that affects millions of gamers
An alarming number of countries could be locked out of buying games if the PlayStation 6 goes digital-exclusive, with 62% of nations across the world currently blocked from accessing the PlayStation Network in an unexpected catch.
Sony's decision to end the production of all physical PlayStation games after January 2028 was never going to be popular, as it removes the primary method that a large number of gamers access titles both new and old.
Forcing people to buy new games on digital storefronts has issues of it own – including one particular problem that could leave Sony in legal trouble – yet people are only just discovering the crisis that could arise for more than half of the world.
As reported by TheGamer, access to games could be entirely cut off for 121 countries across the globe, with 62% of the world's nations currently not able to create PlayStation Network (PSN) accounts and therefore blocked from accessing the store.
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The conversation was initially sparked by the situation in Georgia, with the transcontinental nation one of the surprisingly large number of countries seemingly unable to interact with Sony's digital-exclusive future, and there has been no indication that this will change to suit the new directive.
Similar issues already arose in reference to certain PlayStation Studios titles sold on PC, as while Steam users were able to buy games like Helldivers 2, an unpopular change from Sony's end required people to still have an active PSN account in order to play them, blocking millions from actually using games they'd been able to buy with their own money.
There are workarounds that people have been able to use to circumvent the restrictions, but these run the risk of breaching Sony's EULA rules and could put your account in danger of termination, losing you access to games you've paid for.
Whether PlayStation actually addresses the fact that millions will soon be locked out from buying games on its platform remains to be seen, yet people have taken this realization as another reason why the change shouldn't go ahead, alongside major petitions garnering hundreds of thousands of signatures.
"Sony trying to speed run their decline in [the] eyes of consumers," wrote one comment on Reddit responding to the news, adding that it's "fascinating to watch honestly."
Another added that they "grew up in one of the 'bad' countries and games were my escape. They legitimately kept me sane. This makes me really sad for all those kids."