Sony officially announced the end of the era of physical games on the console PlayStation. Since January 2028 new games released on PS5 (and subsequent generations) will no longer be produced on discs. They will be available only in the digital version.
This is the ultimate coffin nail for the second-hand gaming market, small stores and retailers who have lived for years from the resale of physical titles.
What exactly did Sony announce?
On the official blog PlayStation the company confirmed that production of physical plates for new games ends in January 2028. Exceptions are titles that will be announced and issued before that date – they will still be available in the box version.
Sony explains the decision with consumer trends:
"It's a natural direction for Sony Interactive Entertainment to adapt to consumer preferences, because the general interest in digital media significantly outweighs physical plates."
New games will only be available through PlayStation Store and selected digital retailers.
It started with GTA 6.
The decision didn't come out of nowhere. A few weeks earlier, Sony reported that GTA 6 on PS5 version next-gen will not be available for the premiere in physical form – only digitally. For many players and shops it was the first signal that the album era was coming to an end.
What does this mean for the market?
- Used games stores – many of them can just disappear. Without new titles on the albums there will be nothing to sell back.
- Collectors and fans of physical editions – they will lose the opportunity to buy new games in a box.
- Used games – their value will drop dramatically, because there will no longer be an influx of new titles, and the value over time will be mainly collectors
- Vendors – both small shops and larger networks will have to completely change the business model.
Many players are already expressing frustration – for some individuals, the record is not only a medium, but also a collector's value, the ability to reseller and the certainty that the game belongs to them forever (as opposed to the digital license, where we actually rent the game, rather than buying it on property).
Is this the end of the video games, or just on PlayStation? What do you think of that decision, Sony? Let me know in the comment.
