Sony plans to cease the production of physical game discs for new PlayStation games by January 2028. The company has already begun repurposing its disc-manufacturing headquarters to produce optical microlenses instead.
Sony CFO Lin Tao stated that the company will “cautiously move this forward” regarding the decision. Tao noted that the primary reason for the shift is that the “digitalization of [content] overall has been progressing.”
The decision has faced criticism from PlayStation fans and gaming industry figures. Concerns raised include the impact on resale markets, media preservation, true game ownership, and the transition from ownership to licensing.
A week-long blackout for PlayStation content was organized to protest the decision, scheduled to begin on August 23rd.
Revenue and sales trends
Financial data from the 2025 fiscal year shows a significant gap between digital and physical revenue. While physical games earned Sony just over $781 million, digital game sales reached approximately $6.5 billion, and in-game purchases totaled approximately $8.4 billion.
Share of Sony's full-game unit purchases accounted for by digital downloads in the fiscal year ending March 31.
Market data highlights a long-term decline in physical media. According to Circana data, physical game sales in the US fell from 297 million units during the period of June 2008 to June 2009 to 37 million units in the past year. Circana analyst Mat Piscatella reported that in the first half of 2008, 100 PlayStation games sold over 100,000 physical units, whereas only seven such games reached that threshold in the first half of 2026.
Sony's outlook
Sony corporate communications executive Ishii stated that the company does not foresee a negative impact on its business due to the discontinuation of discs. CFO Lin Tao added that the company does not believe discs are a factor that distinguishes PlayStation from the PC.