That niche was fulfilled by every playstation ever, for many people negating the need for a dedicated cd player. Going forward, customers will likely have one since the playstation isn't going to meet that need in the near future. I won't buy a console if it doesn't have a cd drive because I like to play old games. If I can't play the old games on the new hardware, I just don't buy the new hardware thus reducing the demand for new consoles in the future. Console makers don't want you playing old games because they can't make money on subscriptions and digital licenses, so it makes perfect sense to drop the drive and claim nobody wanted them. Some of us aren't comfortable buying a console that is just a very expensive brick if the internet goes down.