PlayStationRecent updates to online check-in requirements for digital games have provided what GameStop appears to see as the perfect fuel for an advertising campaign to get customers into its stores. The PlayStation brand has outraged much of its player base with its online check-ins, and GameStop's solution to buying more physical games could have some merit.
Sales of physical games hit an all-time low in 2025 as digital downloads continue to take over an industry that has been growing for years. Renowned analyst Mat Piscatella of Circana found that annual spending on physical games is down 11 percent compared to 2024, with consumers in the United States spending $1.5 billion on physical games, the lowest amount on record since analysts began tracking the trend in 1995.
The PlayStation DRM controversy explained
PlayStation recently added new DRM for PS4 and PS5 digital purchases, sparking controversy among owners of Sony's flagship consoles.
GameStop benefits from PlayStation digital game
The world's largest video game retail chain, GameStop, now appears to be trying to reverse that trend with a new ad that specifically targets the PlayStation brand. A new ad showing a PS5 unit with a piece of masking tape near the disc tray and the words “NO LIMITS” on it encourages players to start buying more physical games with a special offer that will give players a 10 percent discount when they buy two to three games, 20 percent when they buy four or five, and 30 percent when they buy six or more in one purchase.
Based on the PS5 console used in its footage, the catalyst for this ad is clearly the internet's new 30-day DRM game license clearance requirements for PlayStation. This update was added to the PS4 and PS5 systems in March and put a 30-day timer on all new games downloaded to the unit. If the PlayStation Network cannot verify that the console has the correct license to run the game before the timer expires, it will become unplayable unless the game's official license can be verified via an internet connection.
While this move by PlayStation seems to be aimed at fighting piracy and enforcing digital rights management, it has also angered its customers for a number of reasons. Some have expressed great concern that they fear losing access to the games they have paid for if they face extended periods of disconnection from the internet or the PlayStation Network. Many other conservationists see the recent PlayStation update as another shift away from gamers actually owning the games they buy, a trend that consumer movements like Stop Killing Games have been fighting for years. The ad capitalizes on these concerns, stating, “If you own it, you should be able to play it anytime, anywhere, online or offline.”
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The new ad campaign appears to be a major shift in tone from what the retailer was trying to push just a few months ago. In March, GameStop offered a trade-in account where customers could trade in their used PlayStation 5 units for a refurbished Xbox Series S console and up to $69 in cash or store credit. The mixed news stems from the fact that many fans pointed out at the time, that the Xbox Series S does not have a disc tray and can only play games that have been digitally downloaded or offered through cloud services. Some found this quite amusing, considering that GameStop's business model has historically been built around selling used physical games.
