Sony faces backlash over plan to end physical PlayStation discs

Sony says gamers prefer digital media, but critics warn ending physical PlayStation discs could hurt consumers and retailers.

07 Jul 2026, 17:22 by Justin Boggs · ABC15 Arizona

Thousands of Sony PlayStation users are urging the company to reconsider its decision to phase out physical game discs by 2028.

Last week, Sony announced it would stop producing physical discs for its video game consoles and move future consoles to digital-only platforms. In the days that followed, thousands of PlayStation users signed a petition asking the company to keep physical media available.

“A disc is a real game you own,” the petition states. “You can lend it, trade it, resell it, gift it, collect it or pass it down to your kids. A box with only a download code is not the same thing. It is a digital license in plastic packaging. You do not own it. You are renting access that can be revoked, and people have already had purchased movies deleted from their libraries and games pulled from sale weeks after launch.”

The petition also cites potential job losses tied to the distribution of physical video game discs.

“Ending physical media removes consumer choice, weakens local economies and hands a few platform holders total control over how, and whether, you can access the games you buy,” the petition reads.

Sony said the move reflects changing consumer habits.

“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. “This transition will enable us to align more closely with how most of our community prefers to access and play games today.”

Sony launched the first PlayStation console in 1994 and became the first major console maker to use CD-ROM discs instead of cartridges.

The system helped revolutionize the video game industry, and later generations of consoles also adopted disc-based formats. Sony’s latest console, the PlayStation 5, has been available since 2020. The PS5 comes in multiple versions, including digital-only models and versions that use Blu-ray discs.

The shift away from physical media has also affected movies and television.

Best Buy stopped selling Blu-ray and DVD discs in 2024. Target has also phased out most DVDs and Blu-ray discs in stores, though they remain available online.

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