PlayStation will end physical disc production for new games in 2028
Sony says 85% of PlayStation game sales were digital in its latest report, as new titles after 2028 will come only as downloads or code-in-box releases.
- On Wednesday, Sony Interactive Entertainment announced that physical disc production for all new games releasing on PlayStation consoles will end in January 2028.
- Data from Ampere shows digital game purchases surged from 13% in 2013 to nearly 80% in 2025, driving the company to align with shifting consumer preferences.
- Piers Harding-Rolls, games industry analyst at Ampere, called the move a "watershed moment," adding that "console gaming is the last hold-out for physical media in the gaming sector, but physical product has been declining in importance."
- Sid Shuman, Senior Director, Sony Interactive Entertainment Content Communications, confirmed digital formats will be the sole retail option after the cut-off, while some retailers are reportedly refusing to sell Rockstar's GTA 6 because its physical version lacks a disc.
- Meanwhile, Sony will close its PlayStation Store on the PS3 and Vita next month in certain countries, and analysts suggest the 2028 policy may hint at the PS6 release window.
144 Articles
144 Articles
Sony to end physical PlayStation game discs for new releases starting in 2028
Sony is ending production of physical discs for all new PlayStation game releases beginning in January 2028, marking a significant step in the gaming industry's ongoing transition to digital distribution. Sony Interactive Entertainment announced the decision Wednesday in a post on its official PlayStation Blog, saying all new games released after January 2028 will be available through the PlayStation Store and retailers in digital formats only.T…
Los Angeles (USA), 1 Jul (EFE).- The PlayStation video game company announced on Wednesday that it will stop producing disc versions of the new titles for its consoles from January 2028. As of that date, the new video games will be available in the official Sony digital store, PlayStation Store, and in physical stores only in digital format, the company reported in a blog post. Sony further specified that the measure will not affect games in phy…
17 years ago, PlayStation first to go digital-only — and never gave up
Citing shifting consumer preference, Sony revealed today that it is ending physical disc production for new games on PlayStation consoles, starting January 2028. Games released after that point will arrive exclusively in digital formats.
Sony has announced this Wednesday that it will stop producing physical disks for the new PlayStation games from January 2028. As explained by the company, from that date the new games will only be available in digital format, also in physical stores. Sony clarifies that the decision is the “natural direction” to adapt to a context where consumer preference for digital content exceeds that of physical disks.
Sony announced on Wednesday (1st) that it will stop producing physical disks for all the new games released on PlayStation consoles from January 2028, marking a total transition to digital distribution, as consumers' purchases continue to migrate to the online environment. Digital downloads accounted for about 80% of Sony's full game sales in the 2025 fiscal year, according to the company, reflecting a long-standing trend towards digital game pu…
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