2026-07-31 10:02:33

Sony has confirmed it will continue moving away from physical game discs despite ongoing criticism from PlayStation fans who oppose the company’s plans to make future releases digital-only.

The company announced last month that new PlayStation games would no longer be produced on physical discs from January 2028, citing changing consumer preferences and the wider shift towards digital entertainment.

During Sony’s latest earnings call, chief financial officer Lin Tao acknowledged that many players have strong emotional connections to physical games but said the company believes the industry is heading in a different direction.

Tao said through an interpreter: “There are various reasons we made this decision, the biggest being that the digitalisation of content overall has been progressing.”

She added that the trend was not unique to gaming, with digital formats becoming increasingly dominant across the wider entertainment industry.

Tao said: “We understand that the community has put forth those views to us. Games are loved by many people.

“It’s a form of entertainment that’s loved by people, and it’s connected to people’s fond memories in many cases.”

Despite recognising fan concerns, Sony said it plans to continue exploring how it can support players within a digital ecosystem.

The announcement has sparked anger among some PlayStation users, particularly those concerned about game preservation, ownership rights and the ability to access purchases in the future.

Physical media supporters have organised a planned PlayStation boycott, calling for players to avoid Sony services for one week in August.

The DoesItPlay account, which campaigns for game preservation, described the disc decision as “the last straw” following other controversial PlayStation moves, including studio closures and changes to its hardware strategy.

Sony also addressed concerns about its relationship with retailers and whether removing discs could weaken PlayStation’s advantage over PC gaming.

Tao said retailers could still sell boxed products containing download codes and argued that physical discs are not the key factor separating consoles from gaming PCs.

She said: “We don’t feel that the disc itself is a strong factor for differentiation.”

Instead, Sony highlighted PlayStation’s curated game ecosystem, stable hardware experience and lower cost compared with high-end gaming PCs as reasons it believes consoles will remain attractive.

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