Sony has announced physical disc production ends in January 2028 for new games releasing on PlayStation consoles.
It’s a shock announcement that follows Rockstar’s decision not to sell a physical disc version of GTA 6, which is expected to dominate console game sales from this November onwards. This new policy will cover all games released on PlayStation consoles from all publishers after this cut-off date, which some analysts believe hints at when the PS6 will be released.
“In response to shifting trends in consumer preference, new games will be released on PlayStation Store and at retailers in digital formats only,” Sid Shuman, Senior Director, Sony Interactive Entertainment Content Communications, said in a post on PlayStation Blog.
“As consumer preferences and the broader entertainment industry continue to shift away from physical discs to digital, physical game disc production for all new games releasing on PlayStation consoles will be discontinued starting January 2028. Following this date, new games will be available on PlayStation Store and at retailers in digital formats only. This transition has no impact on games that already released, or will be releasing, prior to January 2028 in disc format.
“This is a natural direction for Sony Interactive Entertainment to adapt to consumer trends as the general preference for digital media significantly outpaces physical discs. This transition will enable us to align more closely with how most of our community prefers to access and play games today.
“We’ll continue to prioritize our resources to drive innovation in how players can access games and provide choices as to where players prefer to purchase new games, whether that’s at retailers or PlayStation Store. We remain committed to delivering a world-class gaming experience to our fans and we thank you for your continued support.”
Piers Harding-Rolls, games industry analyst at Ampere, tweeted to call Sony’s announcement “a watershed moment for the industry.”
“Console gaming is the last hold-out for physical media in the gaming sector, but physical product has been declining in importance,” he added. “Back in 2013 when the PS4 launched, Ampere data shows that only 13% of total full games unit sales for Sony consoles were digital (including digital-only games). Fast forward to 2025, and this digital share of full game purchases stood at almost 80% of the total.
“Inevitably there will be concerns from PlayStation gamers around various aspects of this announcement including choice, accessing older physical games on new consoles, the ability to collect physical games, and game preservation, however the purchasing trends of gamers are clear.”
Just this week, Sony notified PlayStation users that it would soon delete more than 550 digital movies from their PSN accounts due to a licensing agreement with Studio Canal, sparking a backlash. There was no sign of refunds or alternatives for those who purchased any of the movies on the list.
The Does it play? social media account, which advocates for physical media, accused Sony of “killing ownership.” “You are killing legal preservation,” it continued. “You are killing discoverability. You are killing publishers. You are killing developers. This is a move that might slightly improve bottom lines, but tear down every other aspect of this medium. Well done! You f*d up!”
Rockstar has come under fire for its decision not to release GTA 6 on-disc, although in the context of today’s announcement from Sony, perhaps it shouldn’t come as a surprise. Rockstar is instead releasing a physical version that’s just a download code in a box. So, if you want to play GTA 6, you’ll need to download the game. From January 2028, all PlayStation games will be the same.
Why has Rockstar decided not to go with a disc version of GTA 6, risking angering core gamers in the process? There are a number of reasons, analysts told IGN this week, and they all make commercial sense. Meanwhile, some retailers are refusing to sell GTA 6 because the physical version lacks a disc.
Meanwhile, Sony has announced the closure of its PlayStation Store on the PS3 and Vita, beginning next month in certain countries.
Wesley is Director, News at IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.
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