Gamescom publishers reportedly upset with PlayStation over end of PS5 game discs

Toward the end of Gamescom 2026, a rumor emerged about publishers being angry with Sony. The unhappiness centered on its plans to terminate PS5 disc production for new physical games in early 2028. John Linneman of Digital Foundry has now backed up those claims in a podcast.

Complaints at the convention

Linneman attended the event and heard from critics impacted by a forced all-digital future. He explains that they “were largely very upset. A lot of these companies actually see a lot of return, and in fact, the majority through physical sales.”

Boutique publishers like Limited Run and iam8bit target collectors. iam8bit already issued a statement condemning PlayStation’s decision. Other smaller companies are also less able to compensate for the loss of PS5 disc revenue than AAA competitors.

During the podcast, Linneman said, “The industry side of things is not positive right now about what's happening. There seems to be a lot of resentment for, uh, what Sony has done and what they're doing.” He suggested that these Gamescom attendees may consider partnering with Nintendo. The Japanese gaming giant has shown no signs of abandoning Switch 2 cartridges entirely.

The German-hosted festival drew game-makers and distributors from around the world. While PlayStation quotes numbers showing how dominant the PS Store has become, the split differs by region. In many European countries, buying physical games from shops and later reselling or trading them remain traditions.

A PR nightmare

Whether Sony backtracks on killing PS5 discs is questionable. Despite two months of social media and YouTube protests disrupting marketing, it hasn’t offered opponents a compromise.

MP1st recently reported that PlayStation was contemplating delaying the transition. Its Xbox rival was allegedly courting discontented publishers at Gamescom. With Project Helix looming, the disc-to-digital program lets consumers convert their media into digital licenses.

Unfortunately, the MP1st story may be too far-fetched to take as credible. So far, other sources haven’t confirmed that Sony intends to change its strategy. It seems willing to sacrifice goodwill and physical sales to drive more console owners to the PS Store.