Sony will end production of physical PlayStation game discs in 2028

Sony Announce Wednesday it will stop producing physical discs for all new PlayStation games starting in January 2028, marking a step toward an all-digital future. After that, each new release will be sold digitally through the PlayStation Store and other retailers. Games released before the deadline will still be available on disc.

Physical copies have long been a staple of gaming culture, so for many gamers, saying goodbye to game discs will be bittersweet. However, Sony said the decision reflects the way most gamers buy and play games today.

“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. This shift will enable us to more closely align with the way most of our society prefers to access and play games today,” the company wrote in its announcement.

According to Sony RefundsQults For Q4 FY2025, digital downloads accounted for 85% of full game software sales on PS4 and PS5, while physical copies accounted for the remaining 15%.

The decline in physical gaming has also been reflected in retail, where stores that used to rely heavily on physical discs have continued to shrink as more gamers buy online. GameStop It has reportedly closed more than 1,300 stores over the past two fiscal years.

This announcement comes just days later Grand theft auto 6 Fans reacted negatively after learning that the “physical” version of the game would only include a download code inside the box rather than the actual game disc, highlighting that a group of players still value collecting the physical versions.

In addition, Sony open The PlayStation Store on PlayStation 3 will close in select markets later this year, followed by a global closure of PS3 and PlayStation Vita stores next year, the company announced on Wednesday.

Once these stores close, players will no longer be able to purchase new digital content on those systems. Sony said previously purchased games and content will remain available for download for the foreseeable future.