PlayStation ending physical disc production in 2028

Sony Interactive Entertainment announced this Wednesday (July 1) that it will end physical disc production for new games released on PlayStation consoles starting January 2028. From that date onward, new titles will be available only in digital formats, both on the PlayStation Store and through retailers. The transition does not affect games already released or those that will be released on disc before January 2028.

According to the company, the decision is a response to shifting consumer behavior. "This is a natural direction for Sony Interactive Entertainment to adapt to consumer trends, as the overall preference for digital media significantly outweighs physical discs," the company stated in an official announcement.

Sony's own recent numbers explain the decision. In the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2025 (January to March 2026), 85% of full game sales for PS4 and PS5 were digital, leaving only 15% for physical media. The annual average for fiscal year 2025 was 78% digital sales, a 2‑percentage‑point increase from 2024. The trend is even clearer over a decade: in 2015, only 19% of Sony's game sales were digital. By 2020, that number had already risen to 53%.

Beyond consumer preference, profit margins are a decisive factor. According to an analysis of Sony's financial results, the company generates about $14 in profit per physical copy sold, compared to $28 per digital copy. This happens because digital sales eliminate costs related to manufacturing, packaging, shipping, and retailer margins.

In total numbers for fiscal year 2025, Sony shipped 70 million physical game copies, generating approximately $1 billion, while the 248 million digital copies shipped in the same period generated seven times as much. The elimination of physical media also impacts the used game market, as a digital library cannot be resold or lent.

Sources: PlayStation, Dereck Strickland, SQMagazine