UK Trade Group Calls PlayStation’s Disc Sunset a ‘Triumph of Corporate Convenience’

Sony’s plan to stop selling PlayStation games on disc by the start of 2028 has provoked fury from UK retailers, who warned the move would crush consumer choice and dealt a blow to a market still worth hundreds of millions. The Entertainment Retailers Association (ERA), whose members include Amazon, GAME, and every other major game retailer in Britain, accused the company of prioritising its own convenience over shoppers. “PlayStation’s announcement that major games will no longer be available on disc is a triumph of corporate convenience over consumer choice,” ERA chief executive Kim Bayley said in a statement reported by The Game Business. Bayley pointed to data from Nielsen IQ/GfK showing that 45% of all physical games sold in the UK last year were for PS4 or PS5, accounting for nearly half of all physical game revenue. ERA’s own consumer research found that 25% of under-25s still use discs for gaming. The total UK disc-based games market was valued at over £300 million in 2025, indicating that a significant audience remains committed to boxed copies. The decision leaves high street retailers, already squeezed by the shift to digital, facing the loss of a key product line.