{"id":1120635,"date":"2026-07-30T19:00:30","date_gmt":"2026-07-30T19:00:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/1120635\/"},"modified":"2026-07-30T19:00:30","modified_gmt":"2026-07-30T19:00:30","slug":"8-ways-sony-must-improve-the-ps-store-for-our-all-digital-future","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/1120635\/","title":{"rendered":"8 Ways Sony Must Improve the PS Store for Our All-Digital Future"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"8<\/a> Image: Sammy Barker \/ Push Square<\/p>\n

It\u2019s been almost a month since Sony announced its decision<\/a> to cease manufacturing physical games in 2028, and it hasn\u2019t uttered a word since.<\/p>\n

While parts of the PlayStation community plot a blackout in protest<\/a>, I think it\u2019s also worth considering how the company could improve on its existing digital marketplace.<\/p>\n

If we are to endure an all-digital future, then I think there are several meaningful strides the company should take towards making its storefront better.<\/p>\n

As things stand, it could be argued the PS Store<\/strong><\/a> is the worst of all gaming marketplaces \u2013 regardless of how much money it accumulates.<\/p>\n

Here are several areas I\u2019d like to see Sony invest in; not necessarily as a replacement for physical media (although that does increasingly feel like it\u2019s going to be the case), but as a commitment to its customers to make its digital shopping experience better.<\/p>\n

A Proper Refund Policy
\n\"8<\/a> Image: Sammy Barker \/ Push Square<\/p>\n

Sony doesn\u2019t have a refund policy for the PS Store really.<\/p>\n

The company will occasionally make exceptions in particularly egregious situations, like with Cyberpunk 2077<\/a>, but generally you\u2019re not eligible for a refund on digital PlayStation games.<\/p>\n

This needs to change.<\/p>\n

As things stand, the platform holder may give you a refund if you don\u2019t trigger the download on a game you bought, but once you\u2019ve started pulling data you\u2019re pretty much out of luck.<\/p>\n

I think this is unacceptable in 2026.<\/p>\n

Steam, for example, will allow you to refund a game if you\u2019ve played it for less than two hours. This gives you time to see whether it\u2019s for you.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s a particularly generous policy that has led to exploitation, with one indie developer complaining recently<\/a> that people were getting a refund on his relatively short game after finishing it.<\/p>\n

Personally, I think a 30 minute session should be enough, and it would be better than what we currently have, which is nothing at all.<\/p>\n

The Ability to Trade and Sell Digital Games
\n\"8<\/a> Image: Sammy Barker \/ Push Square<\/p>\n

One of the reasons people prefer physical games is because it gives them the flexibility to lend titles to friends, resell them, or give them away. None of this is possible with digital games.<\/p>\n

But there\u2019s no reason it shouldn\u2019t be.<\/p>\n

In theory, it should be possible to temporarily share a digital license with another account \u2013 or even permanently reallocate it.<\/p>\n

I understand digital media doesn\u2019t spoil like physical items, which can be taken out of their shrink wrap, damaged, or soiled.<\/p>\n

But I think some kind of sensible solution, giving users actual ownership over their digital content, would unquestionably build trust in its ecosystem.<\/p>\n

A Working Wishlist
\n\"8<\/a> Image: Sammy Barker \/ Push Square<\/p>\n

The PS Store has a wishlist, but it\u2019s broken.<\/p>\n

I have over 100 games I genuinely want to buy on my wishlist, but I can only load it on Sony\u2019s website, as it doesn\u2019t load on the console itself.<\/p>\n

This is crazy to me.<\/p>\n

The wishlist is also riddled with UI flaws, like the fact you can\u2019t see the price of games included in the PS Plus<\/strong><\/a> catalogue \u2013 even if you may want to buy them, rather than download them as part of your subscription.<\/p>\n

A big part of a game\u2019s promotional cycle has become the wishlist \u2013 it\u2019s common to see publishers encourage you to follow a game, long before it even has a release date.<\/p>\n

But if Sony is putting an increased emphasis on the feature, then it needs to build functionality fit for purpose.<\/p>\n

The wishlist should be a hub for your future game purchases; it should spotlight release dates and discounts and DLC drops \u2013 pertinent information about the games you\u2019ve chosen to follow.<\/p>\n

And it should inform discoverability as well.<\/p>\n

At present, none of this works as it should.<\/p>\n

Discoverability Is So Important
\n\"8<\/a> Image: Sammy Barker \/ Push Square<\/p>\n

I\u2019ll give Sony a bit of credit: it has been removing<\/a> a lot of digital detritus from the PS Store of late.<\/p>\n

But discoverability is still disastrous on PlayStation\u2019s storefront, whether you\u2019re browsing on the console, website, or app.<\/p>\n

The store\u2019s great at pushing the biggest games in front of your face, but I think it does a poor job of surfacing the smaller gems that may appeal to your buying habits.<\/p>\n

The company at least appears to understand this, as it\u2019s been talking a lot about how it intends to use AI to analyse players\u2019 purchasing habits and recommend more relevant titles moving forwards. That\u2019s a good thing.<\/p>\n

The way I see this, it\u2019s in Sony\u2019s best interest to spotlight the software that each individual player will actually want.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s going to lead to stronger retention, tighter partnerships, and increased profits. Here\u2019s a rare example where improvements to the PS Store could benefit both consumers and the corporate bottom line.<\/p>\n

Gifting Is Essential
\n\"8<\/a> Image: Sammy Barker \/ Push Square<\/p>\n

I can\u2019t believe I\u2019m writing about a PS Store in 2026 which doesn\u2019t even have basic gifting capabilities. Surely this is a standard for all digital storefronts?<\/p>\n

If physical media is going away, then it\u2019d sure be nice to be able to send friends and family games directly, purchased through the PS Store.<\/p>\n

I don\u2019t really think this needs elaborating on, because it\u2019s such a basic and simple feature that it seems utterly absurd it doesn\u2019t already exist.<\/p>\n

I know you can always send friends and family PSN vouchers, but this shouldn\u2019t be the only way.<\/p>\n

Again, it\u2019s in Sony\u2019s best interest to add something like this, because it\u2019s only going to result in more purchases on the PS Store.<\/p>\n

Richer Pages with Community Features
\n\"8<\/a> Image: Sammy Barker \/ Push Square<\/p>\n

Sometimes I look at Steam\u2019s product pages and I want to cry. They\u2019re so rich!<\/p>\n

I know Sony has improved the PS Store slightly with user reviews, but pages are generally so basic.<\/p>\n

I\u2019d love to see richer product descriptions with videos, screenshots, images, and artwork.<\/p>\n

Wouldn\u2019t it be nice if developers could have a direct relationship with their customers via community posts and forums, all part of the game page itself?<\/p>\n

It\u2019d be bad for business on Push Square<\/strong><\/a>, but I also wouldn\u2019t say no to community created guides and strategies; it\u2019d be nice to have direct access to content like that within the console itself.<\/p>\n

I think the PS Store feels so dated and stagnant. Sure, it functions, and that\u2019s the most important part. But I think Sony could build a bit more retention around all of its products if it added more features to the marketplace itself.<\/p>\n

Deeper Discounts
\n\"8<\/a> Image: Sammy Barker \/ Push Square<\/p>\n

I don\u2019t think the PS Store\u2019s discounts are anywhere near as bad as some people often say. We\u2019ll routinely see thousands of games discounted, sometimes as low as a few dollars.<\/p>\n

But I do think Sony has to be aggressive in this area, especially if it\u2019s going to phase out retail releases, which can often be bought at clearance prices due to the inherent competition that exists in physical stores.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s a balancing act to maintain here: a race to the bottom benefits no one, and there\u2019s perhaps an argument that Steam\u2019s deep, deep, deep discounting has impacted the value of the software it\u2019s selling.<\/p>\n

Whatever the case, it\u2019s important for the PS Store to have a constant rotation of compelling sales.<\/p>\n

Capcom\u2019s financial reports are a reminder that gaming in the digital age is different to how it used to be. With no physical inventory to manage, games can enjoy longer lifespans, which means it\u2019s possible for titles like Devil May Cry 5<\/a> to achieve their highest sales totals years after launch.<\/p>\n

The PS Store needs to support publishers in ensuring their catalogues have long lifespans.<\/p>\n

And as I\u2019ve mentioned multiple times in this article now, this benefits both the platform holder and the consumer, as it all relates to spending within the ecosystem.<\/p>\n

A Loyalty Scheme
\n\"8<\/a> Image: Sammy Barker \/ Push Square<\/p>\n

I suppose I shouldn\u2019t be surprised Sony killed its loyalty scheme PS Stars<\/a> just months before physical media. This is the way of the ensh*ttified world we all currently live in.<\/p>\n

But I think little kickbacks would go a long way in this all-digital future. I actually really enjoyed accumulating points in PS Stars, and I felt like it was worth my time, earning me the odd monthly pass in games I play, like Honkai: Star Rail<\/a>.<\/p>\n

I\u2019m not sure PlayStation will ever go as far as handing out free credit ever again, but it should.<\/p>\n

Sony may be the market leader, but that doesn\u2019t mean it can treat its customers with contempt. Give fans a reason to spend, reward them, and maybe \u2013 just maybe \u2013 it\u2019ll see better retention as a result.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s no doubt about it: if Sony insists on killing physical media, then it must make the PS Store a better place to shop. I don\u2019t expect it to execute on all of these ideas immediately, but every single one should be on its radar.<\/p>\n

The wildest thing to me is that many of these improvements are genuinely worth investing in, as they will make its marketplace a more lucrative endeavour. If the Japanese giant only cares about its bottom line, and not consumers, then it should implement many of these ideas anyway.<\/p>\n

But do you agree with these suggestions? Is there anything I\u2019ve missed? Let me know below.<\/p>\n

What’s the most important PS Store improvement to you? (250 votes)<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. A proper refund policy<\/strong>23%<\/li>\n
  2. The ability to sell\/trade digital games<\/strong>28%<\/li>\n
  3. Improved UI features, like wishlists<\/strong>3%<\/li>\n
  4. Better discoverability of games<\/strong>3%<\/li>\n
  5. Gifting to friends and family<\/strong>5%<\/li>\n
  6. Richer, more interesting product pages<\/strong>2%<\/li>\n
  7. Deeper, more consistent discounts<\/strong>20%<\/li>\n
  8. Some kind of loyalty scheme<\/strong>10%<\/li>\n
  9. Other<\/strong>7%<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Image: Sammy Barker \/ Push Square It\u2019s been almost a month since Sony announced its decision to cease…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1120636,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_share_on_mastodon":"0"},"categories":[7],"tags":[126,46777,55,90438,53,16,15],"class_list":["post-1120635","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-technology","tag-features","tag-ps-store","tag-ps5","tag-ps6","tag-technology","tag-uk","tag-united-kingdom"],"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@uk\/117010473969987736","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1120635","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1120635"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1120635\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1120636"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1120635"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1120635"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1120635"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}