Sony has announced that they will cease production of physical discs for all new PlayStation video games starting in 2028. The decision is driven by the increasing preference of customers to purchase and download games online. This move has sparked concerns among gamers regarding ownership of their game collections.
In a recent post on the PlayStation Blog, Sony’s communications director, Sid Shuman, stated that physical disc production for new games on PlayStation consoles will be discontinued from January 2028 onwards. Following this change, PlayStation games will only be accessible through the online PlayStation Store, with retail copies in stores being provided solely in digital formats. However, games that have already been released or are scheduled for release with a retail version will still be available on discs.
Sony also revealed plans to close the online stores for the older PlayStation 3 and PS Vita consoles in select markets this year, with global closures expected in 2027. The company cited incompatibility with modern commerce systems as the reason for shutting down these older devices.
Additionally, it was announced last week that the highly anticipated Grand Theft Auto VI will launch with a download code instead of a disc in physical releases. Sony, in collaboration with Philips, pioneered the compact disc format and introduced CD-based video games to the mainstream in the 1990s with the original PlayStation console.
The shift towards digital media consumption has been evident in the video game industry, with a significant portion of game sales now happening online. According to Daniel Ahmad, a games market analyst, 78% of Sony’s full game unit sales in the past year were digital, while Xbox’s digital sales accounted for 90% during the same period. Despite the digital trend, physical game sales remain substantial, with 70 million physical PlayStation games sold last year.
Mat Piscatella, a games industry analyst, highlighted that sales of new physical games in the U.S. have declined over the years, emphasizing the shift towards digital distribution. The negative reaction from gamers to Sony’s decision was notable, with many expressing disappointment and concerns about game preservation and consumer choice.
Looking ahead, Ahmad suggested that Sony’s move signals an all-digital future for games, indicating that the upcoming PlayStation 6 console may not feature a disc drive. While consumers drive the digital transition, the decision to halt physical disc production is primarily a cost-cutting strategy for Sony to boost revenue through the PlayStation Store.
Reflecting on the changing landscape of video game distribution, developers and gamers alike lament the potential loss of physical game artifacts and the unique experiences associated with owning tangible copies of games.