GTA 6 Digital Release Push Shows Why Physical Games Are Losing Ground

GTA 6 has again pushed the debate around physical games into the spotlight, as the industry moves closer to a digital-first future that many players still strongly oppose. The controversy grew after claims that GTA 6 will skip a physical release, followed by Sony’s reported plan to stop producing new game discs by 2028.

CI Games founder and CEO Marek Tyminski said the shift looks unavoidable because publishers earn far more from digital sales than physical copies. He explained that physical releases bring extra costs, longer lead times, and lower returns at a time when many studios already face tight margins.

Why publishers prefer digital sales

Tyminski said a $69.99 physical game loses a large part of its value to retailers, distributors, and production costs. After those cuts, studios receive just over $26 per unit, while a digital sale can bring around $49 at the highest margin.

That difference explains why publishers are moving away from discs, even when players still value ownership, resale options, and long-term access. Physical games also need manufacturing, shipping, and storage, which makes them harder to justify when disc sales now make up less than 20% of total sales for some studios.

Players still want physical games

The backlash shows that many gamers do not see digital-only releases as a fair trade. Players worry about losing access to games, depending fully on online stores, and paying full price without the benefits that physical ownership offers.

Some fans believe publishers should charge more for physical editions or reserve discs for collector’s editions, but Tyminski argued that this would make the format even smaller compared with digital sales. For now, GTA 6 and Sony’s reported plans show where the market is heading, even if a large part of the gaming community does not support the change.