Sony execs behind the famous game-sharing meme recreated it — except there’s no actual game in sight

Shuhei Yoshida and Adam Boyes, the former PlayStation executives whose “how you share your games” video became one of the defining moments of the PS4’s launch, have reunited at Tokyo Game Show 2026 — and they’re doing it without a physical game to hand over.

The original clip, released ahead of the PS4 and Xbox One launches, showed Yoshida, then PlayStation’s president of first-party studios, handing a physical copy of Killzone: Shadow Fall to Boyes, the head of third-party relations, and then simply letting him walk off with it. The implication was simple: PlayStation lets you share your games with friends without any fuss. The video racked up 21 million views in the past 13 years and became a touchstone for the console’s early marketing.

Now, Yoshida has shared a new photo of the pair recreating the pose — but this time, neither man holds a disc.

2013 Video That Defined the Launch

In 2013, Microsoft’s restrictive game-sharing plans for the Xbox One drew huge controversy. Sony responded with a short instructional video that showed Yoshida and Boyes demonstrating how game-sharing worked on the PS4.

Step one: Yoshida hands Boyes a physical copy of Killzone: Shadow Fall. Step two: there was none. The video was a joke about Microsoft’s restrictions, and it landed. It racked up 21 million views and became one of the defining moments of the PS4’s launch.

Reunion at Tokyo Game Show 2026

Yoshida posted the new photo on social media, writing, “Met with a best friend 😀 @amboyes @PlayStation_jp #TGS2026.” The image shows the two men standing in the same pose as they did in 2013, but this time there is no disc in sight.

Fans immediately read the recreation as a dig at Sony’s own shift away from physical media. One reaction post tweeted, “This is how you share games with your friends in 2028.”

Sony’s Move Away From Discs

Earlier this summer, Sony announced it would no longer manufacture discs for new PlayStation games starting in 2028. The company didn’t wait for the physical market to collapse before repurposing its lone disc-making factory, leading to months of backlash from players who want to actually own the games they buy.

Fans even organised protests against PlayStation’s all-digital future, though the console maker insisted it was sticking to its guns. Gaming analysts told Eurogamer the company’s plans would be a “hammer blow” to traditional game stores and physical retailers.

Why the Recreation Works

The original video was a joke about Microsoft’s restrictions. The recreation works for a completely different reason: it’s a joke about Sony’s own move away from discs.

There is no disc to hand over, so the whole premise of the original video is gone. The photo is fittingly game-less.

Reaction From Fans

Fans saw the recreation as a dig at Sony’s own shift away from physical media. The tweet reading “This is how you share games with your friends in 2028” captures the mood perfectly.

The irony is that the original video was a joke about Microsoft’s restrictions. Now it’s a joke about Sony’s own position.

What the Photo Actually Means

Yoshida and Boyes aren’t throwing shade directly. They’re just posing for a photo at a trade show, and the photo happens to echo a moment from their past.

But the photo reads as a statement about the industry’s shift. The PS4 launch was defined by physical media; the photo captures the transition. The photo doesn’t need words to make its point.

Legacy of the Original Video

The original video has lasted 13 years. It was a clever joke, and it stuck.

The recreation is a reminder of how far the industry has moved. The photo doesn’t need words to make its point.

Verdict on the Recreation

The recreation works because it’s a joke about Sony’s own move away from discs. It’s a perfect mirror of the original video, but with a twist: the thing being shared no longer exists.

The photo is a small moment, but it carries weight. It’s a snapshot of an industry in transition, and it uses the language of the past to describe the present.

The original video was a joke about Microsoft. The recreation is a joke about Sony. The irony is rich, and the photo says it better than any caption could.

1. The original video was a joke about Microsoft’s restrictions.
2. The recreation is a joke about Sony’s move away from discs.
3. The photo doesn’t need words to make its point.

Source material: “Sony execs behind iconic game-sharing meme recreate it, but fittingly, without a physical game,” Eurogamer.

digital games · game-sharing · physical media · PlayStation · PS5 · Sony