Sony is cautiously moving forward with plans to stop producing discs for PlayStation games as of January 2028. CFO Lin Tao acknowledged that the decision was made after careful consideration due to the ongoing digitalization of content.

While digital downloads now account for 78% of Sony’s full-game unit purchases, the move has drawn backlash from gamers and industry leaders concerned about losing physical game ownership and potential future access issues. Circana analyst Mat Piscatella noted that while 100 PlayStation games sold over 100,000 physical units in the first half of 2008, only seven did so in the first half of 2026.

Tao emphasized Sony’s understanding that games are deeply loved and connected to people's memories. 'We want to consider these emotions,' she said, highlighting their intent to explore how they engage gamers in a future digital ecosystem.

The change reflects broader trends: physical game sales have declined significantly from 297 million units sold in the US between June 2008 and June 2009 to just 37 million over the past year, according to Circana’s data. As Sony transitions, it remains to be seen if this shift will become a universal trend or if physical games will endure as cherished collectibles.