Sony announced that it will continue producing physical game discs for titles released before January 2028 while transitioning to a digital-only model for all games released after that date. The announcement has drawn criticism from the gaming community.
A private message from Sony to PlayStation developers confirmed the ability to reorder physical discs of existing titles up until the cut-off. Sony’s blog stated, “there will be no impact on games that already released, or will be releasing, prior to January 2028 in disc format.”
Publishers retain the option to order physical versions of PlayStation games released before the January 2028 deadline, although the specifics of the ordering process will change. Although details remain unclear, Sony has reportedly invested millions in converting its disc factory in Salzburg, Austria, to manufacture optical microlenses.
Sony also indicated that it will provide publishers the opportunity to release new games at retail through digital codes, addressing some concerns about limitations in purchasing options. However, the elimination of physical discs is still anticipated to have significant impacts on the gaming industry.
