Sony finally explains its move to abandon discs as it commits fully to digital gaming
Sony isn't backing down
😬 Sony has doubled down on its commitment to ditching physical media
📈 The brand’s CFO has cited consumer trends as its main driver
🎮 Sony says it’s now focused on how to engage gamers in a “future digital ecosystem”
🤔 It isn’t alone in its decision, as Microsoft is reportedly ditching physical games for Project Helix, and the physical edition of GTA 6 isn’t coming as a disc
Sony has been quizzed about its decision to ditch physical discs in January 2028 and – despite the ongoing outrage – the Japanese company isn’t changing its mind.
In a recent earnings call (thanks, Kotaku), Sony’s chief financial officer Lin Tao stated that the biggest reason the brand is ditching physical discs is because of the overall trend towards digitization of content, “not just for PlayStation, but for all kinds of content.”
Tao went on to state that while Sony has “received various opinions” on the matter and acknowledges that “people have strong views”, it’s standing firm on its decision due to consumer trends.
Tao also said that “games are loved by many people. It’s a form of entertainment that’s loved by people, and it’s connected to people’s fond memories in many cases. And so we understand those emotions. We want to consider that. And in the future digital ecosystem, how do we engage the gamers is something that we would like to continue to explore.”
Sony has faced a monumental backlash after it announced it would discontinue physical game disc production for all new PlayStation titles starting January 2028. People have started petitions requesting Sony to reverse its decision, and it’s going to be difficult to get people to engage with a fully digital ecosystem as a result.
It isn’t just Sony, though, as Microsoft is also reportedly ditching discs with Project Helix, although it is reportedly working on a new method for transferring disc licenses to digital.
Likewise, we’re starting to see big game releases ditch discs, as GTA 6’s physical edition isn’t a disc and is rather a code in a box.
Whether this is a decision just for Rockstar, or something that the wider industry is going to follow, is anyone’s guess, but it isn’t looking good for those who still want physical media.
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Reece Bithrey is a journalist with bylines for Trusted Reviews, Digital Foundry, PC Gamer, TechRadar and more. He also has his own blog, UNTITLED, and graduated from the University of Leeds with a degree in International History and Politics in 2023.