Xbox and Nintendo have also pushed consumers toward digital gaming.
Sony has announced that the PlayStation will go digital, with production of physical game discs halted from January 2028. After this date, you will only be able to purchase new games digitally from the PlayStation Store and retailers.
Sony says its decision is a response to “changing consumer preferences,” with digital sales far outpacing physical sales. Last year, physical game distribution accounted for just 3% of PlayStation’s revenue, and the fact that the PS5 Pro launched in 2024 without a disc drive was a pretty good indication of Sony’s future direction.
The strategic change will have no impact on already released physical games or those scheduled for release before January 2028, but the ramifications of the announcement are huge. The used video game market would obviously take a huge hit if people could no longer trade in their unwanted PS5 games. Retailers are also likely to feel some negative effects.
The writing was already on the wall when Rockstar announced it was dropping the discs for GTA6, and today’s news will dash any hope that this is an outlier. Physical discs can be beneficial to the consumer and to those who care about preservation, but the financial benefit of a digital-only model for companies like Sony is clear. Xbox has been moving away from physical for some time now, and even Nintendo, which remains the dominant force when it comes to physical game sales, seems to be pushing customers digital with comparatively cheaper prices and game card cartridges that don’t contain the entire game.
Sony bidding farewell to discs isn’t the only PlayStation-related news today. The company also announced the closure of the PlayStation Store on PS3 and PS Vita. Once they are gone, it will no longer be possible to purchase new games or content on these platforms, although Sony will still allow users to download previous purchases “for the foreseeable future.”
In some markets, these store closures will happen as early as August 2026, but in the United States you have until next summer, July 2027, to stock up on games you might want to add to your libraries. “We know this news may be disappointing for PS3 and PS Vita gamers who hold a special place in their hearts for this generation of gaming,” Sony said in a press release. “The PS3 and PS Vita represent an important era in our PlayStation history, so this was not an easy decision for us to make.”
