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The era of physical gaming media appears to be coming to an end, at least for Sony, which announced on Wednesday that it will stop producing discs in 2028. The move appears to be an indication that… PlayStation 6which has not yet been announced, will be an all-digital console.
Starting in January 2028, the new games will only be available for sale in digital formats via the PlayStation Store and retailers, according to a post on PlayStation Blog. Games released before this date will still be available on physical discs.
“This is a natural trend for Sony Interactive Entertainment to adapt to consumer trends as the overall preference for digital media significantly outpaces physical discs,” the company said in a blog post on Wednesday. “This transition will enable us to more closely align with how most of our community prefers to access and play games today.”
Sony did not provide any additional details about whether it will stop producing PS5 devices with disc drives after that date.
Physical game sales have declined from their peak of $11.5 billion since 2008, according to Matt Piscatella, senior director and video game industry consultant at retail analytics firm Circana. In a BlueSky post from MarchHe says last year was the lowest rate of decline in actual sales since 2021, thanks to the launch Nintendo Switch 2but sales of $1.5 billion for 2025 were the lowest number since 1995.
Therefore, spending on new physical video games in the US fell by 11% in 2025 compared to 2024. This is the lowest rate of decline since 2021 (-8%), and much better than the -28% recorded in 2024. However, spending on new physical video games also reached just $1.5 billion in 2025, an all-time low (since 1995).
— Matt Piscatella (@matpiscatella.bsky.social) March 2, 2026 at 6:39 pm
Besides ceasing production of physical discs, Sony also says it will do so Close the digital stores for PS3 and PS Vita. This means that those who are still using these devices will not be able to purchase any new games. The closure will be implemented by region starting next August, with the United States closing in July 2027:
- Mexico, Honduras, and Nicaragua – The PlayStation Store on PS3 will be closed starting August 2026.
- Additional countries in Latin America and the Middle East – PlayStation Store on PS3 will be closed starting late 2026.
- In all other countries, the PlayStation Store on PS3 and PS Vita will close in July 2027.
Sony says players will still be able to download previously purchased content after stores close “for the foreseeable future.”
