Well folks, it finally happened.
Sony announced yesterday that all PlayStation games released from January 2028 onwards will be available only as digital downloads; physical disc production will end.
This, unsurprisingly, has rubbed everyone the wrong way. Including more than 6000 angry gamers in the comments section of the PlayStation Blog post that announced the change, as well as on the brand’s various social media pages.
Sony has also been mocked by the likes of Domino’s Pizza. We are even seeing gamers dig up a satirical video made by Sony teaching gamers how to share and resell their games made in 2013 after Microsoft famously tried to implement a system that locked discs to individual users’ Xbox consoles.
We don’t blame them. This decision – which, according to Sony, has been made to “adapt to consumer trends as the general preference for digital media significantly outpaces physical discs” – is without doubt detrimental not only to gamers, but also to cinephiles who value the 4K Blu-ray format.
I’m willing to bet that the PS5 is the best-selling 4K Blu-ray player on the market currently, and that’s mostly because competition isn’t exactly fierce.
Sony and Panasonic are the only mainstream manufacturers offering 4K disc players at the moment – and, one incredibly minor refresh last year from Sony apart, neither has put out a truly new 4K player in years.
While I’m not betting the house on every PS5 owner tapping into the high-resolution disc format for their films and TV shows, the PS5 has felt like a lifeline for the format for quite some time.
The multipurpose nature of its ability to play games and movie discs has really added to its appeal in the world of home cinema, even if it’s missing some AV-focused features such as Dolby Vision HDR support.
But with this change, I think it’s safe to assume that the next-generation PlayStation console will be a digital-only affair.
Sony soft-launched that concept with the PS5 Pro, when it offered the console only without the disc drive, and required customers to purchase a drive separately as an accessory.
It now seems that the company was laying the foundation for this recent announcement – and we fear that the PS6, which is expected to launch next year, could forgo the optional disc drive entirely.
While this will be a crushing blow to 4K Blu-ray fans such as myself – need I remind everyone that physical PS5 game releases come on 4K Blu-ray discs too – this is also a huge blow to consumers in general.
You can forget lending a game to your friend, or selling it on when you have finished playing it. Likewise, those who prefer to buy games on the second-hand market to save money (gaming isn’t a cheap hobby after all) will be out of luck from 2028 onwards.
Historically, Sony has come under scrutiny for the pricing of games on the PlayStation Store. It has even faced lawsuits for allegedly charging gamers unfair digital fees.
This announcement is especially galling after the recent news that, in September, more than 550 films and TV shows will be removed not only from the PlayStation Store, but also from the libraries of people who bought them.
This is due to a licensing agreement between Sony and Studio Canal ending – and it appears as though refunds will not be issued.
This is where my biggest issue lies. I tend to buy my PS5 games on disc for this very reason; so that I own them outright, and they can’t be taken away from me at a moment’s notice and with no compensation.
From 2028, I won’t have that option, and that certainly doesn’t sit well with me. As someone who is constantly vouching for physical media – especially 4K Blu-ray – I’m really discouraged by Sony’s choice. It certainly means that I won’t be rushing out to buy a PlayStation 6 in the same way I did with the PS5.
Overall, this announcement feels more like a punch to the gut for consumers, and I’m not buying Sony’s reasoning.
If it really wants to “drive innovation in how players can access games and provide choices as to where players prefer to purchase new games”, I would suggest it changes its viewpoint on physical media.
MORE:
Read our full Sony PlayStation 5 review
Check out our picks for the best 4K Blu-ray players
