Bethesda leverages Oblivion Remastered Switch 2 cart release to take a jab at Sony's announced end of physical PlayStation games

Just hours after Sony announced that it would phase out physical discs for PlayStation consoles in 2028, Bethesda Game Studios delivered a timely reminder that physical media, in this case, Nintendo Switch cartridges, have plenty to offer, at least on Nintendo's Switch 2 platform.

Sony revealed it would discontinue physical releases for upcoming PlayStation games, and hours later, Bethesda showcased the physical Deluxe Edition of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered for the Nintendo Switch 2 on a cartridge, with no digital-download caveats, accompanied by a low-budget promotional video, making the poke at PlayStation a bit more obvious.

Bethesda revealed its physical Switch 2 cartridge on X, presumably taking a jab at Sony, and said The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered Deluxe Edition is available on a physical game card for those looking to “add it to their collection.”

The announcement was accompanied by a promotional video that featured the cartridge front and center, leaving little room for questions. Fans quickly figured out what Bethesda was pointing to, and one viewer commented, "This after Sony announces that they'll end disc production in 2028."

Sony's controversial announcement

For context, Sony announced on July 1, 2026, in an official blog post that it would cease physical game disc production as of January 2028. In the post, Sony explained, 

"As consumer preferences and the broader entertainment industry continue to shift away from physical discs to digital, physical game disc production for all new games releasing on PlayStation consoles will be discontinued starting January 2028. Following this date, new games will be available on the PlayStation Store and at retailers in digital formats only." 

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered will launch for the Nintendo Switch 2 on August 11, 2026. The Deluxe Edition includes a physical cartridge with the base game, expansions like Shivering Isles and Knights of the Nine, and add-on DLC. Bethesda promises enhanced visuals and refined controls for the Nintendo Switch 2, along with support for features like DLSS to improve performance on the handheld’s SoC. The title, somewhat ironically, also has a physical copy available for Sony's PlayStation 5 console.

The physical disc dilemma stems from the fact that discs containing the full game offer players a sense of permanence and often allow offline replayability without connecting to servers or downloading updates. This also lets gamers play older versions or patches of their favorite titles.