隨著索尼推進新遊戲取消實體光碟的計劃,玩家普遍擔憂未來將面臨 "花更多錢、擁有更少" 的局面。然而前史克威爾艾尼克斯商業策略師雅各布・納沃克提出了一個反直覺的觀點:完全數位化的 PS 商店反而可能讓遊戲變得更便宜。

納沃克在社交平台表示:"PS 商店的數位版很可能會降價。當前定價與零售渠道綁定,沒有實體光碟的掣肘後,我們將看到類似 Steam 的更寬價格區間。" 他認為,純數字環境會讓各大發行商陷入持續的動態競爭,而非傳統的店面價格戰,這將倒逼全價遊戲整體下行。他以《Final Fantasy XVI》在 Steam 上的價格走勢為例,指出一旦價格鬆動,降幅往往比預期更大。"PS 商店越走向純數字,這一趨勢就越明顯,你會看到更多促銷和動態定價,因為發行商之間的競爭會加劇。"
Competition between publishers is what drives pricing pressure, not competition between digital stores. This is because publishers set pricing on digital stores. Competition between stores like EGS and Steam improves the take rates for developers, not necessarily the price for players. Here is the price floor for FF16 on Steam over time. You can see how the floor moves downward. It moves downward because as the title competes with other titles, it gains a natural downward pressure. The more the Playstation store becomes digital only, the greater this trend will accelerate. You will see more sales and dynamic pricing similar to Steam because publishers will compete among themselves to a greater extent. You can read more about publisher set pricing directly from this former Playstation executive here: https://finance.yahoo.com/media-advertising/articles/former-playstation-store-boss-says-111745882.html?guccounter=1
這一理論並非毫無依據。Steam 平台確實常年充斥著各類打折活動,即便是 3A 大作也時常降價 20% 左右,折扣還能顯著延長遊戲的銷售長尾。但反對的聲音同樣有力:新遊戲的定價正在越來越高,即便是數位平台也不例外 ——《GTA6》確認純數位發售,但其定價並未因此有任何鬆動。


批評者指出,納沃克的推論建立在太多 "可能" 之上。發行商或許會為了商店頁面曝光而適度降價,但也可能在沒有二手交易和遊戲分享的環境中徹底放飛定價。Steam 的打折文化並未滲透到 PSN,更不用說任天堂 eShop。事實上,遊戲銷量以數字為主已持續多年,而所謂的降價趨勢始終沒有出現,這意味著短期內這一理論大概率仍停留在假設階段。







