The days of buying PlayStation games on disc are almost over. Sony says it’ll stop making physical games for its consoles in January 2028. After that, you’ll only be able to get new games digitally through the PlayStation Store or by purchasing download codes from retailers.
The decision follows another major change in the gaming industry. Last week, it was revealed that physical copies of Rockstar’s Grand Theft Auto VI will ship with a download code instead of a game disc. Sony is now taking the next step by ending disc production for all new PlayStation releases.
According to Sid Shuman, Sony Interactive Entertainment’s senior director of content communications, the change comes down to how people buy and play games today. He said digital has become far more popular than physical discs, and Sony wants to match the way its players prefer to access new releases.
The company clarified that the policy applies only to future releases after the January 2028 transition. Existing physical games and titles launching before that date will remain available in their current boxed format.
For a lot of gamers, this feels like the end of an era. There’s something special about picking up a game case, checking out what’s inside, and lining it up on a shelf with the rest of the collection. Being able to sell a game once we were done with it was another big reason many people stuck with physical copies.
Going all-digital means giving up a few things. We can’t resell our games, grow a collection of boxed copies, or always count on having access if a storefront shuts down or licensing changes. On the flip side, it’s cheaper for publishers, there’s no risk of stores running out of stock, and retailers don’t have to make room for game boxes.
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