Sony announced yesterday that it plans to end physical disc production of new games by January 2028, fueling more rumors of its next console launch. From the earliest days of game consoles in the 80s, there have nearly always been some sort of physical media containing game files. These mostly began in the form of a cartridge, some early primative systems utilized readable paper or plastic cards, and then the dominant media for the last 30+ years has been optical discs, whether it be CD-ROM, DVD, Blu-Ray (from single to triple layer), and it now appears that an end is in sight for those as well. Sony has always been cited as a source of the success of the Blu-Ray format since it included a BD drive with the PS2, but as times are changing, it is now planning to formally abandon the format.
Per a new press release, Sony has announced that it will no longer offer physical disc releases for new games as of January 2028. At that point, games will be available through its PlayStation Store and other retailers in digital formats only. Sony has iterated that this change will not affect any present releases or those launching up to the deadline.
“This is a natural direction for Sony Interactive Entertainment to adapt to consumer trends as the general preference for digital media significantly outpaces physical discs. This transition will enable us to align more closely with how most of our community prefers to access and play games today. “
– Sony
This announcement has led some to speculate that Sony is not planning to launch its PlayStation 6 console until at least January 2028. It’s also possible that the PlayStation 6 will be the console manufacturer’s first hardware generation to be digital-only exclusive. Both Sony and Microsoft have been producing digital-only models and have seen notable sales despite models featuring physical media drives still being very popular among consumers, but trends continue to point to the digital-only models gaining ground. One side effect of Sony’s 2028 deadline is that it could end up being the final nail in the coffin for the optical media format, which has been on a major decline since the explosive growth of streaming services and online digital platforms over the last decade.