Sony has announced that it will halt large-scale production of physical discs for new PlayStation games in January 2028, a move that industry experts warn could deal a severe blow to already struggling high-street game retailers. Physical game shops have been in decline for years as consumer spending shifts to digital purchases, and the withdrawal of one of the market's biggest players threatens to further erode both new and second-hand physical sales, which are a vital source of income for specialist stores.

Experts offered mixed assessments. Chris Dring of The Game Business noted that PlayStation discs still sell in the millions worldwide and suggested a "code-in-a-box" approach could let shops participate in digital sales, as Rockstar is doing with GTA 6. Rhys Elliot of Alinea Analytics called it a "hammer blow", arguing the pre-owned market — where retailers made real profit through resale, lending and collectability — has kept specialist shops alive, but that GAME has already stopped trade-ins and CEX has largely gone. Piers Harding-Rolls of Ampere Analytics agreed the pre-owned market would be undermined, yet suggested this ever-shrinking segment could push retailers towards much-needed innovation around in-store digital sales.