PlayStationRecent updates to its online check-in requirements for digital games have provided what GameStop sees as the perfect fuel for an ad campaign to bring customers into its stores. The PlayStation brand has upset a large portion of its player base with its online check-in, and GameStop's solution to buying more physical games may have some merit.
Sales of physical games hit a record low in 2025, as digital downloads continue to take over an industry that has been growing steadily for years. Matt Piscatella, a distinguished analyst at Circana, found that annual spending on physical sports will drop 11 percent from 2024, with U.S. consumers spending $1.5 billion on physical sports, the lowest amount recorded since analysts began tracking the trend in 1995.
PlayStation DRM Controversy Explained
PlayStation recently added new DRM for digital PS4 and PS5 purchases, sparking controversy among owners of Sony's flagship consoles.
GameStop capitalizes on PlayStation's digital game woes
The world's largest video game retail chain, GameStop, now appears to be trying to turn that trend around with a new ad specifically aimed at the PlayStation brand. Showing a PS5 unit with a piece of masking tape next to the disc tray and the words “NO LIMITS” emblazoned on it, the new ad encourages gamers to start buying more physical games with a special offer that will give players 10 percent off when they buy two to three games, 20 percent off four or five, and 30 percent off when they buy 30 or more in a single store.
Based on the PS5 console being used in its imagery, the catalyst behind this ad is apparently PlayStation's new Internet-based 30-day DRM check-in requirements for game licenses. That update was added to the PS4 and PS5 systems in March, placing a 30-day timer on all new games downloaded to a unit. If PlayStation Network cannot verify that the console has the proper license to run the game before the timer expires, it will be rendered unplayable until an official license for the game is verified via an Internet connection.
This move by PlayStation, which appears to be aimed at fighting piracy and implementing digital rights management, has upset its customers for several reasons. Some have expressed concern that they may lose access to paid games if they experience prolonged disconnections from the Internet or the PlayStation Network. Many other preservationists see the recent PlayStation update as another step away from players owning the games they buy, a trend that has been fought for years by consumer movements like Stop Killing Games. The ad capitalizes on these concerns, saying, “If you own it, you should be able to play it anytime, anywhere, whether you're online or offline.”
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The new ad campaign seems like a big change in tone from what the retailer was trying to push a few months ago. In March, GameStop offered a trade-in deal under which customers could exchange their used PlayStation 5 units for a refurbished Xbox Series S console and up to $69 in cash or store credit. The mixed message comes from the fact that many fans pointed out at the time, that the Xbox Series S has no disc tray and can only play games downloaded digitally or offered through cloud services. Some found it quite amusing, considering that GameStop's business model has historically been built around the sale of used physical games.
