Sony Will Stop Making Discs for New PlayStation Games
Thursday, 2026/07/02186 words3 minutes1171 reads
Sony Interactive Entertainment has announced plans to discontinue physical disc production for new PlayStation games released from January 2028 onward. This strategic shift reflects fundamental changes in consumer purchasing behavior, with digital downloads now accounting for approximately 80% of the company's full-game software sales during its 2025 financial year.
The transition to digital distribution offers several advantages. Players benefit from immediate access without retail visits or delivery delays, while publishers may reduce manufacturing, packaging, and shipping expenses. However, the move raises concerns among consumers who value physical ownership. Unlike discs, which can be collected, shared, or resold in secondary markets, digital games remain permanently linked to user accounts and lack transferability.
The all-digital model also introduces storage challenges. Modern titles demand substantial disk space, potentially requiring players to delete existing content or invest in additional storage solutions. Concurrently, Sony plans to close the PlayStation Store on legacy PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Vita systems, beginning in selected markets in 2026 before expanding globally in July 2027, citing incompatibility with contemporary security protocols. This announcement represents a significant milestone in the industry's evolution toward exclusively digital console gaming.
