PlayStation to Stop Making Physical Discs Starting in 2028
Physical releases have long been the quiet default of console gaming, from the chunky cartridge era—yes, the one where N64 slots were practically part of the brand identity—to today’s disc-based libraries that let you keep games in your hands even when most of the industry is pushing hard toward “always online” everything. That era may be about to get even shorter on PlayStation systems.
PlayStation will stop producing game discs from 2028
Sony has now announced that it will no longer manufacture physical discs for PlayStation games starting in 2028. The move lands at a time when fans have already been bracing for how “physical” increasingly means “a box with a code,” rather than a product you can actually pop into your console.
That frustration has been fresh in the public eye thanks to the backlash around the “physical” release of GTA 6, which did not include a disc copy of the game. Instead, the package reportedly functioned as a redemption mechanism for a digital version, leaving many buyers feeling like they paid full price for something they couldn’t use like a traditional disc.
PlayStation’s latest announcement suggests the company is taking the next step beyond that compromise: moving away from disc production entirely. In a statement shared by Sid Shuman, Senior Director at Sony Interactive Entertainment Content Communications, the company frames the shift as something driven by changing consumer preferences and broader industry trends that have moved away from physical discs toward digital distribution.
In practical terms, the message is clear: physical game disc production for all new PlayStation releases is planned to be discontinued starting January 2028. For players who still enjoy browsing a shelf of games, trading titles through exchange stores, or building a collection you can revisit without depending on a store account, this is likely to feel like a direct hit.
There’s also a bigger concern for the market side of things. Removing discs could reduce the number of new copies sold, especially when the baseline cost of living and the price of digital libraries both make every purchase feel heavier than it used to.
Looking further ahead, this could also shape how future hardware behaves. If PS6 and later systems end up lacking any means to run physical media, the only realistic path to play newer releases—and potentially older ones, too—would be through the PlayStation Store. That, in turn, changes the nature of “ownership”: buying digitally typically grants a license rather than a permanent right to the software, which can be withdrawn or restricted depending on terms and availability.
It’s also a striking reversal from earlier console-era sparring. Back in 2013, PlayStation took shots at Xbox over a move that involved stepping around disc-based compatibility so the other platform could still play the game using its own approach. Different times, same outcome for players hoping to keep physical copies.
If you care about game preservation and want to push back against the trend, this is the kind of moment the Stop Killing Games movement is trying to address.
Jacob has been gaming since the original Game Boy was placed in his hands. Due to his passion for the field, writing talent, and a keen eye for SEO, he made his games journalism debut in 2019. When he isn’t playing the latest titles, he is tinkering with retro tech to bring it into the modern era.
Physical media has essentially been the backbone to the games industry, ranging from slotting large, rectangular cartridges into your N64, to the more modern disc-based systems, which keeps things tangible…
