Overview
- Sony announced on July 1, 2026 that it will end production of physical discs for all new PlayStation games starting January 2028.
- After that date new PlayStation titles will be sold only through the PlayStation Store or as retail download codes, while any disc versions released before January 2028 will still be produced.
- The company also disclosed phased closures of the PS3 and PS Vita digital stores, a decision that feeds concerns about license fragility and long‑term access to purchased digital content.
- Sony and analysts point to a long rise in digital sales—Sony reported about 78% of full‑game sales were digital in its latest fiscal year—and to savings on manufacturing and distribution as key reasons for the change.
- Players, preservation groups and retailers warn the shift will end resale and trade markets, complicate game preservation, and increase speculation that future PlayStation hardware may ship without disc drives.