Overview
- The announcement, which appeared on PlayStation’s blog on Saturday, confirms all new PlayStation titles released from January 2028 will be distributed only as digital downloads or as digital download codes sold in shops.
- Sony said games released on disc before January 2028 will remain available in physical form and are not affected by the change.
- Player and retail opposition has been strong: the Don’t Kill the Disc petition has topped 70,000 signatures and retailers and distributors such as Game España and Meridiem have publicly protested.
- Sony also confirmed a staged closure of PlayStation Store on older systems starting in August 2026 in some markets and finishing by mid‑2027, raising worries about long‑term access to bought digital titles.
- Executives and analysts point to a shift already underway — digital sales make roughly 80–85% of full‑game sales — which cuts manufacturing and distribution costs but risks ending a used‑game market and limits resale, lending and collecting options for players.