TOKYO: Sony has announced it will stop releasing PlayStation games as discs from 2028 onwards, with new titles available only as digital downloads.
"This transition will enable us to align more closely with how most of our community prefers to access and play games today," Sony said – a statement that was not reflected in thousands of angry posts from gamers on social media.
Comments on Sony's blog post announcing the end of physical game discs were overwhelmingly critical, with many sharing their disappointment after years of collecting discs. Some even threatened to boycott future PlayStation games or switch to PC gaming.
"This is just a pure slap in the face," one user commented. "You are going to lose a lot of players over this, including me. What a disgusting thing to do."
"You will own nothing and be happy" was the response of many commenters, quoting a phrase commonly used to criticise the shift away from physical ownership and towards services as part of a shared economy.
The decision to switch to digital downloads only is a historic reversal for a company that used discs to cement its place in the gaming industry against rival Nintendo.
One of the biggest reasons for the original PlayStation's success was the built-in CD-ROM drive, which offered ample storage space, enabling games to become increasingly complex. The PlayStation 2 then introduced the DVD drive, which also turned the console into a home cinema device.
Access instead of ownership
Many gamers fear the shift to digital purchases means gamers are essentially renting the game on one device, rather than owning it with the option to share and re-sell the game.
"You are killing ownership," reads one comment, shared over 3,000 times, in response to Sony's original post on X announcing the change. "With no physical games, there isn’t a single valid reason to stay with PlayStation instead of buying a PC," another user commented on X.
Even the UK account of Domino's Pizza chimed in, replying to Sony on X that its announcement "makes about as much sense as us changing to digital pizzas."
Sony stressed that all previously released games, as well as all titles released before 2028, will continue to be available in all formats.
A further Sony announcement illustrated how games could simply become unavailable in future if the publisher or platform operator chooses: Sony is closing the download stores for its PS3 and PS Vita consoles by mid-2027.
Impact on second-hand games
The decision is likely also set to have a major impact on second-hand trade, since digitally purchased games can't be resold. Meanwhile, in brick-and-mortar retailers like GameStop, discounted, pre-played versions of upcoming PS5 and PS6 games will disappear and boxes of PlayStation releases will contain only a download code.
Some gaming industry companies also responded to the news with criticism, with iam8bit, a publisher and platform that sells gaming collectables, saying it was "profoundly disappointed" by Sony's decision.
"Physical games are vital to games preservation, ownership, and consumer choice, values that have guided iam8bit since our first physical release in 2016," iam8bit said.
"The physical disc format is not just a disc; it is preservation, culture, and the very soul of video games," reads a statement from Aerternum, the company behind PS5 game Aeterna Noctis.
"We believe in the power of physical entertainment media," said video game rental service GameFly in a statement.
Sony's shift towards digital comes days after a similar digital-only announcement by Rockstar, the company behind what it anticipated to be the most expensive and most widely sold piece of cultural content.
GTA VI, the most hyped and anticipated game of 2026, is launching only as a digital download, Rockstar announced, also prompting a backlash from fans.
"This is purely to stop second-hand sales to control the price of the game more," one user commented on Reddit. "By taking away your leverage, you’re locked into paying whatever Rockstar and storefront owners deem is worthy," entertainment website IGN commented. – dpa
