Decision made "in response to shifting trends in consumer preference and the broader entertainment industry"

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Sony will discontinue physical disc production for new games releasing on PlayStation consoles starting January 2028.

The company stated the decision is "in response to shifting trends in consumer preference and the broader entertainment industry" as it transitions from physical to digital formats.

Starting January 2028, games will be available only in digital format through the PlayStation Store and other retailers. This change does not affect titles released or launching on disc before that date.

"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," it said.

"This transition will enable us to align more closely with how most of our community prefers to access and play games today."

As reported by Game File, Sony recorded that "nearly four in five purchases of full games" on PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 were digital over the past financial year.

"We'll continue to prioritise our resources to drive innovation in how players can access games and provide choices as to where players prefer to purchase new games, whether that's at retailers or the PlayStation Store."

A Sony spokesperson later clarified to Game File that it is "committed to delivering experiences from past generations to new platforms our players are using," referring to the potential for games to be lost as consumers buy access to a game rather than the full title on a physical disc.

"[As with] all digital content, including games, movies, and music, players are purchasing a personal license for non-commercial use," the spokesperson said.

Ampere Analysis senior games research analyst Piers Harding-Rolls told Game File that Sony's decision will "offset pressure on margins from other directions – development and staffing costs, for example.

"The advantage of everything going digital for the industry is that sales can be tracked much more easily and there is less commercial risk for publishers wanting to continue selling via retail."

Both PlayStation and Xbox have released digital-only versions of their consoles to reduce costs. Last year, Nintendo introduced Game-Key Cards, physical download-only copies of select titles.

Rockstar also announced that Grand Theft Auto 6 will launch as a download-only title this November.

Last week, Circana data showed that the launch of the Switch 2 last year contributed to a year-on-year increase in US physical game spending for the first time since 2009.

However, it was a small increase of 3%, which Circana's senior director Mat Piscatella described as a "temporary blip" in boxed sales.

"All other ecosystems are continuing to drop by double-digit percentages," Piscatella told GamesIndustry.biz.

"At some point, this will all bottom out – perhaps we're getting there now – until the console manufacturers decide to no longer produce units with physical drives."

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