In an official announcement, Sony has confirmed that physical PlayStation game discs will end in January 2028 as part of its continued shift toward digital-only game distribution.
FlatpanelsHD had already read the tea leaves when we reported that Rockstar Games' decision not to release GTA 6 on an optical disc was the death knell for physical game discs.
Today, Sony PlayStation made it official:
- "As consumer preferences and the broader entertainment industry continue to shift away from physical discs to digital, physical game disc production for all new games releasing on PlayStation consoles will be discontinued starting January 2028. Following this date, new games will be available on PlayStation Store and at retailers in digital formats only. This transition has no impact on games that already released, or will be releasing, prior to January 2028 in disc format," said Sid Shuman, Senior Director, Sony Interactive Entertainment.
The trend has been clear for years. The digital-to-physical sales ratio for PlayStation games was 76:24 in 2024, 78:22 in 2025 and reached 85:15 in the first quarter of 2026.
Also read: PlayStation erases 551 film titles from users' libraries – are games next?
PS6 without a disc drive?
The announcement strongly suggests that the next-generation console, PlayStation 6, will ship without a disc drive, although Sony has yet to confirm this.
- "We'll continue to prioritize our resources to drive innovation in how players can access games and provide choices as to where players prefer to purchase new games, whether that's at retailers or PlayStation Store. We remain committed to delivering a world-class gaming experience to our fans and we thank you for your continued support," added Sid Shuman.
It is worth noting that there have been rumors to the contrary, but it is certainly possible that the rising costs of RAM and SSDs have led Sony to reevaluate its priorities.
Also read: Rumor: PlayStation 6 and next Xbox launching in 2027
