Sony Ends PS5 Discs in Jan 2028—Analysts Pinpoint What It Means for PS6

Sony’s decision to end disc-based PlayStation games on its consoles beginning January 2028 has sparked a fresh wave of speculation about what comes next—and, crucially, when the PS6 might actually arrive. With the company keeping quiet about the console by name, analysts are turning that disc cutoff into the closest thing we have to a timeline.

Sony has not officially announced the PS6 yet, though it has discussed its next-generation direction on multiple occasions. That means a new system is almost certainly coming—but the question players keep asking is the release window.

What Sony’s January 2028 disc cutoff implies for PS6 timing

Industry analyst Piers Harding-Rolls weighed in after the announcement, arguing that the January 2028 deadline for on-disc PlayStation releases “almost certainly” means the PS6 can’t launch earlier than 2028. His expectation goes further: Harding-Rolls believes the PS6 will debut toward the end of 2028.

The logic is straightforward. If Sony is setting a hard stop for disc support starting in early 2028, then the next major hardware generation would be expected to align with that shift rather than arrive significantly beforehand.

Will the standard PS6 include a disc drive?

Beyond timing, Sony’s move also points to a major hardware change. Harding-Rolls said Sony’s announcement suggests the regular PS6 model likely won’t ship with a physical disc drive. In his view, removing the drive is the kind of cost-saving step Sony would consider “at a minimum.”

The reasoning is largely economic. Harding-Rolls connected the decision to production costs amid what he called the “RAMpocalypse,” driven by the broader AI boom and the resulting pressure on memory prices.

In a separate blog discussion, Harding-Rolls expanded on how Sony could handle legacy media. He suggested Sony might offer an add-on disc drive option for players who want to use physical discs from older PlayStation eras, specifically referencing PS4 and PS5 game libraries. He also noted that this approach could frustrate some gamers who don’t want to pay extra for an accessory—and who still want straightforward access to their disc collections.

Harding-Rolls added that the solution may be impractical or overly complicated, but some kind of process for transferring older physical media into digital licenses could ease part of the disruption for disc owners.

Could Sony’s PS6 be a hybrid like the Nintendo Switch?

Even with the disc-drive conversation dominating headlines, Sony has also teased a different kind of experience for its next platform. Last month, the company indicated that its upcoming console could provide a “seamless experience that can be enjoyed naturally beyond the living room.”

Those remarks came from a Q&A published in English by Sony Interactive Entertainment. The interview featured Hideaki Nishino, the company’s president and CEO, and focused on how Sony plans to reconnect with players who moved toward PC gaming during Covid-era lockdowns, along with how the next-generation platform will bring meaningful changes.

Nishino’s answer started with the idea that Sony is trying to challenge the long-standing association of PlayStation as a purely living-room system. He pointed to the release of PlayStation monitors and speakers—peripherals that many people would normally pair with PC setups—to widen how and where PlayStation can be used.

“PlayStation has long been strongly associated with the idea of playing in the living room,” Nishino said. “However, in recent years, more users globally have been using personal monitors. In response, we are selling peripherals such as monitors and speakers to break away from the fixed perception that ‘PlayStation equals the living room’ and to broaden usage scenarios.”

From there, Nishino discussed the next-generation platform without using a name or offering specific technical details.

“For the next-generation platform, rather than simply serving as an alternative to PCs, we aim to deliver value that is unique to PlayStation,” he said. “This includes not only technological advancements but also an expansion of usage styles, enabling a seamless experience that can be enjoyed naturally beyond the living room.”

That phrase is what has players and observers wondering whether Sony could pursue something closer to a hybrid system—one that can move beyond the couch the way the Nintendo Switch does.

What forms could “beyond the living room” take?

While Sony offered no concrete product description, the wording leaves room for multiple interpretations. One popular theory is that Sony is working on a dedicated PS6 handheld device.

If that’s the direction, the handheld could potentially function as more than a standalone screen. The question raised is whether it might also act as a PS6 console/controller hybrid that can dock—mirroring the general idea behind how the Switch can operate in both handheld and TV modes.

Another possibility is that Sony could be developing a PS6 concept that’s closer to a next-generation version of PlayStation Portal. Nishino previously said that the Portal had seen strong sales, which makes it a logical reference point for where Sony might want to go next.

Cloud gaming as a solution to hardware constraints

Regardless of the hardware shape, Nishino also pointed directly to cloud gaming as part of the answer—particularly in relation to challenges tied to the “RAMpocalypse.”

“With regard to cloud gaming, our priority since our service launch in 2013 has been to ensure a high-quality user experience from the first time they use the service, as performance is highly dependent on network conditions and poor quality can quickly erode trust,” Nishino explained.

He continued by describing why Sony built PS Portal as a dedicated device rather than relying on phones or computers as the primary streaming endpoints.

“For this reason, we designed PS Portal as a dedicated device to reliably deliver the PlayStation gaming experience, which is predicated on controller-based gameplay and a large screen. Because it is difficult to provide a sufficiently high-quality experience through smartphone touch controls or a PC’s keyboard and mouse, our cloud strategy is not to rapidly expand to smartphones and PCs, but rather to focus on environments where quality can be assured.

“While we do not disclose unit sales figures, PS Portal has seen strong demand across North America, Europe, and Japan, with servers reaching full capacity during the latest holiday season. Cloud streaming also requires minimal memory, making it an increasingly attractive low-cost thin client device in the current market environment where memory prices are rising. Looking ahead, we aim to expand cloud gaming experience while maintaining the quality cultivated to date.”

How Microsoft’s plans compare

Microsoft is also working toward a next-gen approach that could include multiple options. The company has promised an ultra powerful next-generation console through Project Helix, which is also expected to play PC games. However, there’s a possibility Microsoft may pursue a range of similar alternatives, rather than betting exclusively on one single form factor.

Earlier this month, Xbox boss Asha Sharma said that the spiraling cost of both new and existing consoles would force “radically different business models” over the coming generation.

Wesley is Director, News at IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at [email protected] or confidentially at [email protected].