Sony has announced it will stop releasing new PlayStation games on discs from January 2028, marking a definitive shift to digital distribution that has already been accelerated by the upcoming digital-only launch of Grand Theft Auto VI. The company said on its official blog that after that date, new titles will be available via the PlayStation Store or from retailers with a digital download code. The move comes “as consumer preferences and the broader entertainment industry continue to shift away from physical discs to digital”, Sony said, adding that it was “a natural direction for Sony Interactive Entertainment to adapt to consumer trends”.
But the decision has been met with fierce criticism. Gaming journalist Vikki Blake called it a “body blow to consumer rights”, warning of “huge concern for game conservation and a massive problem for gamers with lower disposable incomes who rely on part-exchanging or loaning games from friends”. She recalled that only one console cycle ago, Sony made an advert mocking Xbox over how easy it was to share PS4 games. “It’s not funny anymore, is it?”
“Sony will stop releasing new PlayStation games on discs from January 2028, moving to digital-only downloads.”
Christopher Dring, editor of The Game Business, said the announcement surprised him even though digital downloading is now the dominant form of buying PlayStation games. “We still see millions and millions of PlayStation games sold as physical goods. It’s a significant business and there are lots of players that prefer to buy this way. It’s tough news for retail.” Lootbox Gaming, an independent retailer in Delaware that refused to stock the disc-less version of GTA 6, said the move was “an attack on not only gamers and collectors, but also developers, publishers, distributors and retailers around the globe”.
Industry analyst Piers Harding-Rolls of Ampere Analysis noted that consumer trends are clear: in 2013, when the PS4 launched, only 13% of game sales were digital; by 2025 that figure had risen to nearly 80%. Still, gamers were unimpressed. Content creator Conkerax called it “a catastrophe” on YouTube. Harding-Rolls added that there would be “concerns from PlayStation gamers around various aspects … including choice, accessing older physical games on new consoles, the ability to collect physical games and game preservation”.
The announcement also reignites speculation about the next-generation PlayStation 6, which many observers believe will be digital only – a possibility that Sony’s blog post did not address directly. Separately, Sony has come under fire for removing more than 500 films and TV shows purchased on the PlayStation Store from users’ libraries after its licensing arrangement with StudioCanal ended. Those titles will disappear from collections by 1 September without compensation, prompting further anger among consumers. For now, Sony has confirmed that games released before January 2028 will continue to be available on disc, but after that date, the physical era for PlayStation will be over.