Retail business will still be important for Sony with PS4, says Yoshida

We are moving toward an ever-more-digital future, and the PlayStation 4 is certainly part of that movement, with the continuing growth of the PlayStation Store and the addition of streaming games to PlayStation functionality. But digital isn't everything just yet, says Shuhei Yoshida, president of SCE Worldwide.


"We believe retail will still play a key role to get games in front of people," Yoshida told GamesIndustry at a roundtable this morning, noting that there are a lot of folks who go to game stores to get information on new releases, and also that retailers like GameStop sell digital content in the physical stores. And, yes, there are those among us who like to have a reason to leave the house every once in a while.

Even so, Yoshida also told GI, "digital is the fastest growing business for us and for industry as well." What the distant future holds for us in the realm of this discussion is unknown. In the near future, though, things will look similar to the way they do now. It's a slow evolution.

For more on the PS4, check out our recap of last night's reveal.