# Sony’s disc-only exit could wreck the used games market

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/sonys-decision-to-kill-off-playstation-discs-could-destroy-the-7-2bn-used-game-market-according-to-analysts/
- Published: 2026-07-22T13:03:06+00:00
- Updated: 2026-07-22T19:12:53+00:00
- Original publisher: Eurogamer
- Original article: https://www.eurogamer.net/used-video-game-market-at-risk-sony-killing-playstation-discs
- Topics: Entertainment, Gaming

## Key points

- Sony ending PlayStation disc production by January 2028
- Analysts fear this could kill the $7.2bn used game market
- Move signals PS6 will likely be digital-only, no disc drive

## Summary

Sony's decision to stop manufacturing PlayStation discs by January 2028 threatens to devastate the global second-hand video game market, according to analysts. Market research firm Dataintelo estimated the pre-owned games, hardware and accessories trade at $7.2bn worldwide in 2025, with growth forecast to $13.8bn by 2034 before Sony's move cast doubt over that trajectory. Analysts warned that removing physical discs strips away consumer choice and the trade-in economy that has long helped subsidise new game purchases, with Wedbush's Michael Pachter predicting that "brick and mortar game retail is doomed" as around a third of games historically sold used lose their resale route.

Consoles accounted for 42.3% of the used market's 2025 revenue, with North America the largest region at 36.8% (roughly $2.65bn), followed by Europe at 28.3% and Asia Pacific at 24.6%; GameStop, Amazon, eBay and Decluttr led North American sales, while CEX dominated in Europe, where the UK, Germany, France and the Nordics were the biggest markets. Existing PlayStation discs already in circulation are unaffected, but the move strongly signals that the next-generation PS6 will drop disc drives entirely and rely on digital-only distribution, while Microsoft has yet to confirm whether its upcoming Xbox will follow suit, though it is reportedly exploring ways to let players digitise physical collections.

## Coverage

- [Eurogamer: Sony’s disc-only exit could wreck the used games market](https://www.eurogamer.net/used-video-game-market-at-risk-sony-killing-playstation-discs)
- [IGN: The Global Second-Hand Video Game Market Is Valued at $7.2 Billion, but Sony's Decision to Kill PlayStation Discs Threatens to Destroy It, Analysts Say](https://www.ign.com/articles/the-global-second-hand-video-game-market-is-valued-at-72-billion-but-sonys-decision-to-kill-playstation-discs-threatens-to-destroy-it-analysts-say)

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.