Sony Interactive Entertainment will stop producing physical discs for all new PlayStation games from January 2028. Games released after the cutoff will be sold digitally through the PlayStation Store and participating retailers, while titles released or scheduled for disc distribution before then will remain unaffected.
The decision ends more than three decades of physical game releases for PlayStation consoles. Sony said changing consumer habits and the wider shift toward digital media led to the new distribution policy.
“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 company said.
Digital Downloads Now Dominate PlayStation Sales
Sony’s official announcement said resources would instead support new ways for players to access games. Retailers will still be able to sell digital versions, although the company did not specify whether these would be offered through download cards, codes or boxed products.
Digital downloads accounted for 85% of full-game software sales on PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 during the fourth quarter of Sony’s 2025 financial year. Across the full year, the digital download ratio reached 78%, according to Sony’s supplemental financial results.
Physical discs remain important to players who collect, lend or resell games. Digital purchases are generally linked to user accounts and depend on continued access to the platform’s servers and licensing systems.
The announcement followed criticism from some Grand Theft Auto VI fans after its physical edition was described as containing a download code instead of a playable disc. The response showed that physical ownership remains important to part of the console gaming audience.
PS3 and PlayStation Vita Stores Will Also Close
Sony separately announced that it will begin closing the PlayStation Store on PlayStation 3 in selected markets during 2026. The shutdown will expand globally to PS3 and PlayStation Vita systems in 2027.
Once the closures take effect, players will no longer be able to purchase new digital content directly from those consoles. Previously purchased games and other content will remain available for download for the foreseeable future.
Sony said older consoles can no longer meet the technical requirements needed to support modern payment and commerce systems. Full details are available in the company’s official store closure notice.
Featured image credits: PSN MY Gift Card – DearPlayers Malaysia
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