Overview
- Sony announced on July 1 that it will stop producing physical PlayStation game discs for new releases starting in January 2028.
- PlayStation went quiet on social media after the announcement and on Tuesday, July 7 returned with a FlexStrike fight‑stick ad that drew thousands of negative replies instead of an explanation.
- A Change.org petition started by Jade Pearce, CEO of PNP Games, has surged past roughly 170,000 signatures in days calling for Sony to reverse the decision.
- Sony DADC’s Thalgau, Austria plant has begun repurposing tooling and retraining staff to make optical microlenses, with company forecasts that disc output could fall to about 10% of current volumes by 2028.
- Critics point to fragile digital ownership, the loss of the used‑game market and preservation risks, while Sony and analysts note that digital sales already account for roughly four‑fifths of full‑game revenue and that boxed download codes are rising.