GAGamespot
This Isn’t The First Time PlayStation (And Others) Tried To Kill Used Games
This article discusses how Sony's move away from physical media by 2028 is a culmination of past industry trends, specifically the 'online pass' system implemented by publishers like EA, Ubisoft, and PlayStation in the late 2000s and early 2010s. This practice required single-use codes for online functionality, effectively hindering the used game market and leading to consumer backlash. Despite initial justifications related to online service costs, the practice was phased out, and Sony even championed used games for the PlayStation 4. The article suggests that current market trends, favoring digital sales, now allow platform holders to reintroduce similar restrictions.