Overview
- Sony confirmed it will stop producing physical discs for new PlayStation games starting in January 2028 and move new releases to digital-only distribution.
- The announcement has prompted large public pushback, including a Change.org petition organized by Jade Pearce that has drawn hundreds of thousands of signatures and reports of some users cancelling PlayStation Plus.
- EU commissioner Michael McGrath said regulators cannot force Sony to keep making discs and that companies are free to offer products so long as they comply with consumer law.
- Sony’s disc partner is already retooling a Thalgau, Austria plant with about €30 million in investment, shifting production toward optical microlenses and planning retraining as disc output is expected to fall sharply by 2028.
- Advocates warn the all‑digital shift threatens resale markets, game preservation and ownership rights, and analysts say the move makes disc-less future consoles and changed retail models likely.