Sony download only next gen console – Breaking News & Latest Updates 2026
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WSJ: Sony considered download-only next-gen console, but decided to keep optical drives

While it would seem odd for the company to drop Blu-ray support for its own equipment, Sony considered making its PlayStation 3 successor a download-only console, The Wall Street Journal reports.

While it would seem odd for the company to drop Blu-ray support for its own equipment, Sony considered making its PlayStation 3 successor a download-only console, The Wall Street Journal reports.

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T.C. Sottek
is executive editor who has obsessed over headlines and internet speeds since 2011. He previously worked as an advocate for the National Park System.

Sony considered making its PlayStation 3 successor a download-only console but opted instead to include optical drives, The Wall Street Journal reports. While it would seem odd for the company to drop Blu-ray support — the format Sony championed over HD-DVD after many years of competition — from its own equipment, download or online-only gaming continues to take hold in the industry — something that a company like Valve could back up with hardware in the future. WSJ says Sony declined to comment, which isn’t surprising: the company has no plans to announce anything about a PlayStation 4 at E3 this year.

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