Sony said it will stop releasing new games for its PlayStation consoles on physical discs from 2028, as the company accelerates its shift towards digital distribution.
From 2028, all new PlayStation titles will be available only in digital form, Sony said on Wednesday. The company cited growing consumer demand for digital purchases, noting that about 80% of games sold for the PlayStation 5 are now bought digitally.
Some players continue to prefer physical discs because they can be resold or collected.
Sony said games released before 2028, as well as existing titles, would continue to be available in their current formats.
The move reflects a broader industry trend away from physical media. The long-awaited next Grand Theft Auto game, for example, will also be released only digitally. Even boxed retail editions will contain a download code rather than a game disc.
Sony also announced that it will shut down the download stores for the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Vita by the middle of next year, meaning users will no longer be able to purchase digital titles for those platforms. The decision highlights how digital games can become unavailable when publishers or platform operators discontinue online services.
Rival Nintendo has adopted a hybrid approach for some titles on its Switch 2 console. Instead of including the game itself, some game cartridges contain a digital licence key that allows users to download the title. Unlike purely digital downloads, games bought through this system can still be transferred to another person.
