Sony announced it will stop making physical discs for all new PlayStation games starting in January 2028, moving future releases to a digital-only format.
The company made the announcement on Wednesday, stating that more players now choose to buy and download games online instead of purchasing physical copies.
Beginning in 2028, every new PlayStation title will be sold through the PlayStation Store.
Games that have already launched, along with those already planned to receive physical editions, will still be available on disc.
Sony said the decision reflects changing buying habits, with digital purchases now far more popular than physical media.
The company also announced plans to shut down the online stores for the PlayStation 3 and PS Vita in some markets later this year before expanding those closures worldwide in 2027.
Sony said the aging systems are no longer compatible with today’s payment and online commerce technology.
The announcement came shortly after it was revealed that the highly anticipated Grand Theft Auto VI will include a download code instead of a game disc in its boxed editions.
Sony has a long history with physical media.
Working alongside Philips, the company helped develop the compact disc format and played a major role in bringing CD-based gaming into the mainstream with the original PlayStation in the 1990s.
The gaming industry has gradually shifted away from physical copies over the years. Instead of buying games at retail stores, more and more players now download them directly to their consoles via the online store.
According to Daniel Ahmad, a market analyst at Niko Partners, digital purchases made up 78 percent of Sony’s full-game sales over the past year.
Xbox’s digital sales were even higher at 90 percent.
Even so, physical games remain a significant part of the market. Ahmad said around 70 million PlayStation games were still sold on disc last year.
He also noted that Nintendo continues to see strong retail sales, with Switch games still available on physical game cards.
Not everyone is happy about Sony’s decision.
Some players have expressed concern that moving away from discs means they’ll have less control over the games they buy and own.
Independent game developer Benjamin Rivers said physical editions can also be valuable for smaller studios.
He explained that a physical release gives games more visibility, helping them stand out in a crowded digital marketplace where thousands of new titles compete for attention.
