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Physical media continues to go the way of the dinosaurs—extinct.
In an announcement on July 1, PlayStation says it will stop producing physical discs for its video games, switching to digital formats only, starting January 2028.
Games that have already been released or will be released before then will still be available in disc form. Everything after that will need to be purchased digitally.
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The company’s games have been available digitally for a long time now, but there’s always been an option to outright own the game in disc form.
PlayStation says consumer preferences have forced its hand. As Polygon points out, physical discs only accounted for 3% of PlayStation sales in 2024. Plus, physical game stores like GameStop have been disappearing for the last several years.
“This is a natural direction for Sony Interactive Entertainment to adapt to consumer trends as the general preference for digital media significantly outpaces physical discs,” the release states. “This transition will enable us to align more closely with how most of our community prefers to access and play games today.”
Additionally, game publishers are already foregoing hard copies. Rockstar Games recently announced that its Grand Theft Auto 6 game, which comes out on November 19, will only be available on PlayStation Store. This is likely a sign of the times rather than an outlier.
PlayStation did say that it’ll continue to explore ways to give consumers more options when it comes to where they buy their games, whether it’s on PlayStation Store or at retailers.
Unfortunately, it also announced that the PlayStation Store on PS3 and PS Vita will close in 2027. Players will still be able to download previously purchased content after the closing date for the foreseeable future, though.
My advice? Purchase your favorite games on disc so you have them in perpetuity.