Sony says it will proceed cautiously with plans to stop selling PlayStation game discs from January 2028, despite strong opposition from players who value physical ownership. The move matters because it would make PlayStation’s future entirely digital, raising concerns about consumer control over purchases, game preservation and access to content.

Chief Financial Officer Lin Tao said Sony’s decision reflects the wider shift towards digital content and claimed digital media is now preferred over physical discs. Fans’ concerns have intensified after Sony announced it would remove 551 film and television titles from the PlayStation Store on 1 September, while account inactivity policies in the UK and Europe could affect access to purchases. The £899 PlayStation 5 Pro already lacks a built-in disc drive, unlike the £649 standard PS5.