Sony’s PlayStation will stop producing physical discs for its video games from January 2028, marking a major shift toward an all-digital gaming model.
The company announced the move, saying games released before 2028 would continue to be available in physical disc form, while titles launched after the transition would be sold digitally.
PlayStation said the decision was driven by changing consumer preferences, with more players choosing to download games rather than purchase physical copies.
The general preference for digital media significantly outpaces physical discs,” Sony Interactive Entertainment said
Adding that the move would allow it to better align with how most players access and play games.
Physical discs accounted for only about 3 per cent of PlayStation sales in 2024, according to figures cited by Polygon, while the decline of physical game retailers has further accelerated the shift toward digital purchases.
Major game publishers are also moving in the same direction. Rockstar Games, for instance, has announced that Grand Theft Auto 6, scheduled for release on November 19, will be available through the PlayStation Store, highlighting the industry’s growing reliance on digital distribution.
Despite the transition, PlayStation said it would continue exploring ways to give consumers more choices in how and where they purchase games, including through retailers.
The company also announced that the PlayStation Store on PS3 and PS Vita will close in 2027. Players will, however, continue to have access to previously purchased content for the foreseeable future.
The move signals another major step in the gaming industry’s gradual shift away from physical media, as digital downloads and online platforms increasingly become the primary way players access video games.
