Sony to End PlayStation Discs From 2028

Sony described the decision as a "natural direction" that reflects changing customer habits. The company said digital downloads made up about 80% of its full-game software sales in fiscal 2025, up from just 13% when the PlayStation 4 launched in 2013. Sony began this shift in 2020, when it released a disc-free version of the PlayStation 5. Many observers now believe the next PlayStation 6 will be digital-only. For an industry that has steadily abandoned physical media, the move marks a defining moment.

Still, the change has drawn sharp criticism. Gaming journalist Vikki Blake called it a "body blow to consumer rights", warning that it threatens game preservation and hurts lower-income players who trade or borrow titles to afford them. Retailers and collectors fear losing the secondhand market. Joost van Dreunen, a games professor, noted that dropping discs improves profit margins but requires costly extra storage. Critics also point to Sony's earlier decision to remove more than 500 films and shows from users' libraries, raising wider worries about what "ownership" means today. Sony has not said whether players will be able to transfer digital games.