Sony has disclosed that it will cease production of physical discs for all new PlayStation video games by 2028, stating a shift towards online game purchasing among customers as the catalyst. The move has sparked backlash from gamers who fear losing ownership of their collections.
In a blog post on the PlayStation website, Sony’s communications director Sid Shuman announced the discontinuation of physical game disc production for new games on PlayStation consoles starting January 2028. Subsequently, PlayStation games will only be accessible through the online PlayStation Store, with retail copies in stores being exclusively available in digital formats. However, games already released or set to launch with a retail version will continue to be available on discs.
Sony also revealed plans to close the online stores for the older PlayStation 3 home console and the PS Vita handheld in certain markets this year, with global closures expected in 2027. The company cited the incompatibility of these older devices with modern commerce systems as the reason for the closures.
The anticipated release of “Grand Theft Auto VI” will feature a download code instead of a disc in physical releases. Sony, a key player in co-developing the compact disc format, introduced CD-based video games to the mainstream in the 1990s through the original PlayStation console.
Digital sales have surged in the video game industry, with a significant shift towards online purchases over physical stores. According to Daniel Ahmad, a games market analyst, Sony saw 78% of its full game unit sales being digital last year, while Xbox reported digital sales accounting for 90% during the same period. Despite this trend, physical game sales remain relevant, with Nintendo maintaining a strong retail presence for its Switch games sold on physical game cards akin to SD cards.
Sales of new physical games in the U.S. totaled $1.6 billion during the 12-month period ending in May 2025, a decline from $11.5 billion in 2009, as highlighted by Mat Piscatella, a U.S.-based games industry analyst. The resurgence of physical media, such as vinyl records, is unlikely to replicate in gaming due to the absence of disc drives in many modern consoles.
Sony’s decision to discontinue physical disc production is met with a negative reaction from gamers and industry professionals alike. Critics argue that physical games are crucial for preservation, ownership, and consumer choice. Toronto-based game creator Benjamin Rivers emphasized the value of physical releases in boosting revenue for smaller developers and increasing visibility in a saturated digital marketplace.
Analysts predict an all-digital future for games, with Sony’s move toward an all-digital ecosystem seen as a cost-cutting measure to eliminate resale markets and drive revenue through the PlayStation Store. This decision hints at a disc-less PlayStation 6 console in the future, signaling a strategic shift by Sony towards digital distribution.