Sony Interactive Entertainment has announced that it will stop making physical game discs for new PlayStation games from January 2028. After this change, all new PlayStation games will be available only in digital format. Players will be able to buy and download these games through the PlayStation Store and selected retailers. The company explained that this decision will only affect games released from January 2028 onwards. It will not change anything for games that are already available on physical discs or those planned for release before January 2028. Players who own existing physical games can continue using them without any changes after the new policy begins.
The news was shared via the official blog post of PlayStation, where Sony Interactive Entertainment confirmed that they will end the physical disc production for PlayStation starting in January 2028, and following that, all the games will only be released digitally. Sony Interactive Entertainment further clarified in the blogpost that the consumer preferences are changing as more and more players are opting to buy and download games digitally instead of purchasing physical discs.
The company went ahead and also confirmed that digital media has become the preferred option for most of the PlayStation community. Furthermore, the company also added that moving away from physical discs will allow them to focus more on improving digital access to games.
The current announcement from Sony Interactive Entertainment comes after the recent announcement of Grand Theft Auto VI from Rockstar Games. Reports suggest that the physical version of the much-awaited game will only include a download code instead of an actual game disc, which the gamers can use to redeem the game online. Many fans criticised this decision because they believe owning a physical disc gives them more freedom.
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Sony confirmed that the change will only be applied to new games which will launch in January 2028 or onwards. Moreover, the firm also clarified that the games that have already been released on disc or the titles which will be arriving before the deadline of January 2028 will continue to be available in physical format as planned. Hence, the current PlayStation owners who collect physical games or already own disc-based libraries will still be able to use those games without any changes.
The digital purchase of a game is increasing when compared to that of the disc purchase, as you can instantly download them and start playing at any hour. Furthermore, you need not to wait for the disc of your favourite game to arrive. While there are certain upsides, it also has some downsides, as, unlike the physical games, the digital games can’t be sold, traded, or easily shared with other people. Furthermore, you’ll also need your PlayStation account and Sony’s online services to play the games you have bought.