Sony has announced plans to cease manufacturing physical PS5 discs by 2028, accelerating the gaming industry's transition toward fully digital distribution and licensing. This shift raises significant concerns about long-term game preservation, as digital platforms create barriers to access when publishers delist titles or discontinue services.

Frank Cifaldi, director of the Video Game History Foundation, has stated that informal file-sharing now represents the only practical preservation method available, after preservation institutions failed to establish legal alternatives through negotiations with industry organisations. He notes that publishers have consistently refused to offer meaningful archival solutions, forcing museums and cultural institutions to rely on methods that circumvent copyright restrictions to maintain access to gaming history.