Physical game discs for the Sony PlayStation are getting an end date and if you want to buy a new game after that you will have to download it digitally through the PlayStation Store or buy a digital code from a retailer.
Sony says most players today already prefer downloading games over buying discs so this move is the right step for their brand and for anyone who owns a PlayStation 5 or plans to buy a future PlayStation console, this change directly affects how you will buy and play games going forward.
Read the full details about the Sony PlayStation physical disc discontinuation below.
New PlayStation Games Will Only Be Available Digitally From January 2028
Sony shared the news through an official blog post. The company said going fully digital is the natural next step since most PlayStation players now buy games online rather than on disc. Any game that comes out before January 2028 will still be available on disc as planned. Only games releasing after that date will be digital only.
If you own a PlayStation 5 with a disc drive then your existing game discs will still work perfectly fine. You can keep playing all your current disc games. The only change is that no new games will be manufactured on disc after January 2028.
GTA VI Is Also Going Digital Only and Other Big Games May Follow
Just days before Sony made this announcement the Rockstar Games confirmed that Grand Theft Auto VI will not have a physical disc release. Two major announcements in one week send a clear message about where the gaming industry is headed.
Sony, Microsoft, with its Xbox consoles and Nintendo all run their own online game stores where you can buy and download games. While all three have sold digital games for years, physical discs have always been available alongside them. That is now changing fast.
Could the PlayStation 6 Be a Disc Free Console?
Sony has not officially announced the PlayStation 6 yet but many people in the gaming industry believe the PS6 will launch around 2028 which lines up exactly with when Sony plans to stop making game discs.
Right now the PlayStation 5 comes in two versions. One has a disc drive built in, and one does not. If the PS6 launches in 2028 as a digital only console with no disc drive at all, it would make perfect sense given this announcement. Nothing is confirmed yet, but the timing is hard to ignore.