PlayStation to make some physical PS5 discs after 2028, as protests over digital games grow

Disappointing collectors, Sony revealed it intends to stop producing discs in January 2028. Still, a report from Game File suggests that the transition to digital may not be instantaneous. According to Stephen Totilo, the company will distribute physical media for some PS5 games to its partners after that date.

Details from leaked communication

Totilo viewed messages that Sony sent to publishers and developers. As in its blog announcement, the company explained that consumers overwhelmingly prefer digital games. Yet, the partners “will still be able to place re-orders for existing PlayStation disc games” after January 2028. In addition, the process for requesting physical discs would also change, with details to be clarified later.

Recently, followers learned that an Austrian plant that prints PlayStation discs was planning to wind down operations. Yet it now seems that Blu-Ray production should continue at reduced capacity. Older PS5 titles generally sell at a slower pace, minimizing the burden on the factory.

The message also hints that the PlayStation Store will not be the only place to purchase new arrivals. The company pledged to “provide publishers with the opportunity to release new games at retail using digital codes.”

More competition for the PS Store?

Currently, aside from the code-in-box approach used by GTA 6, the PS Store is the exclusive seller of downloadable PlayStation titles. After stopping the policy in 2019, it’s possible Sony may once again allow publishers or other retailers to sell vouchers directly.

The report gives some reassurance to supporters protesting Sony’s dramatic shift to digital. Regardless, new PS5 and likely PS6 games will not be available in a physical format. That means buyers will not be able to trade or list their purchases on third-party marketplaces.

Microsoft may offer an alternative that doesn’t involve printing Blu-Rays in the Project Helix era. A leaked disc-to-digital program enables converting discs to Xbox Store licenses. The surviving disc would be tied to one account at a time, preserving reselling as an option.