Sony to end production of new physical game discs, prompting player backlash
Sony will cease production of new PlayStation game discs starting January 2028. The decision has sparked widespread player opposition, leading to a petition with over 100,000 signatures.
Sony Interactive Entertainment has announced it will stop producing new physical discs for PlayStation games from January 2028. This decision has ignited significant criticism within the gaming community, prompting a player-led petition on Change.org that has already garnered over 100,000 signatures.
Key concerns raised by players include the loss of true game ownership, the potential for market monopolization through digital-only distribution, and pricing imbalances between digital and physical versions. The petition argues that physical discs represent genuine ownership, allowing for lending, trading, and resale, whereas digital downloads are merely licenses that can be revoked.
Launched by a representative of Canadian game retailer PnP Games, the petition, titled 'Don't Kill the Disc,' emphasizes that physical media supports a wide range of jobs across the gaming industry's supply chain. While players are not opposed to digital options, they protest the complete removal of physical releases for all new games starting in 2028.
Sony has not yet officially responded to the petition, but the company is understood to have weighed market trends and industry shifts before making its decision. The move away from physical disc production marks a significant shift for the industry as distribution increasingly moves online.