Sony ends the disc era: PlayStation games to go fully digital from 2028

Sony has announced that it will stop producing physical discs for PlayStation consoles and will fully transition to digital formats starting in January 2028.

After the production of physical discs ends, all new PlayStation games will only be available in digital format through the PlayStation Store, as well as through authorized retailers offering digital codes.

This change will not affect games that have already been released on disc or those that will launch before January 2028.

“This is a natural step for Sony Interactive Entertainment, adapting to changing consumer preferences, as demand for digital media has already significantly surpassed the use of physical discs,” the company said in a statement.

According to Sony, this transition will allow the company to better adapt to the way most players prefer to purchase, download, and play games today.

Sony, founded in Japan in 1946 under the name Tokyo Tsushin Kogyo K.K., introduced the first PlayStation console in 1994 – an iconic gray device with a CD-ROM drive. Since then, the company has launched several generations of PlayStation consoles, with the latest model being the PlayStation 5.

This announcement comes shortly before the highly anticipated release of Grand Theft Auto VI, which analysts expect to become one of the most profitable launches in entertainment industry history. Fans have been waiting for the game for more than a decade, as Grand Theft Auto V was released in 2013.

Meanwhile, global trends show a continuous decline in demand for physical media.

According to Mat Piscatella, executive director and video game industry advisor at Circana, players spent only $1.5 billion on new video games in physical format during 2025 – the lowest level since 1995.

For comparison, spending on physical games peaked in 2008, reaching $11.6 billion.

Sony’s move toward a fully digital ecosystem is being viewed as a historic shift that could ultimately transform the way the video game industry distributes and sells its products.

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