Overview
- Sony announced that starting January 2028 it will not manufacture Blu‑ray discs for new PlayStation releases and will distribute those games only in digital form.
- The policy does not affect games already released or those planned for disc before the January 2028 cutoff.
- Players reacted strongly online to Sony’s July announcement, with the PlayStation post drawing very high engagement and widespread criticism in comment threads.
- Former Santa Monica Studio employee Alanah Pearce said the company issued its strictest social‑media guidance to staff ahead of the public response, a report that has not been independently verified by Sony.
- Market data show weak U.S. physical sales for PlayStation titles in 2026 while UK figures and ERA data indicate a still‑sizeable physical market and a notable share of under‑25 players who use discs, a mix that could drive regional tensions over the change.