Sony's seismic shift: from discs to downloads by 2028. The company has made it official – new PlayStation games on physical media are dead, buried by 2028. That's when all fresh titles will ditch the disc, opting for a purely digital existence, available only via the PlayStation Store or through download codes purchased from retailers.
The writing was on the wall, and with Grand Theft Auto VI poised to break cover in an exclusive digital release, gamers are abuzz with debate. This latest development is no surprise, given Sony's gradual transition towards a digital-first strategy, evident since the launch of the PlayStation 5 in 2020 – a console that came in 'Digital Edition' guise, sans disc drive.
Ampere Analysis data paints a picture: digital game sales are on the up, with a whopping 80% predicted by 2025. In contrast, just 13% of PS4 game sales were digital back in 2013. The numbers are clear – gamers are ditching discs for downloads. But not everyone's convinced, with some fans expressing dismay on social media platforms.
Concerns centre on loss of choice, the demise of physical collections, and the preservation of titles. What about specialist game retailers, who rely on disc sales? And what about the resale market – gone will be the days when gamers could buy, sell, or trade used games, as digital licences are typically non-transferable.
Industry insiders believe this marks a clear direction for future PlayStation hardware. Daniel Ahmad from Niko Partners has weighed in, suggesting that Sony's statement 'pretty much confirms PS6 will be digital only.' Existing disc-based games released before 2028 will remain unaffected, but the writing's on the wall – and it spells change.