Sony says it will proceed with ending physical discs for new PlayStation games starting in 2028, rejecting calls from physical-media advocates to reverse course. The decision moves PlayStation towards an all-digital future while leaving important questions about regional retailers, ownership, and the availability of boxed games unanswered.
During Sony’s July 31 earnings call, CFO Lin Tao acknowledged that games are tied to players’ memories and that the company had received strong opinions about its decision. Her response offered sympathy but no indication that Sony intends to reconsider the policy.
Sony attributes the decision to the shift towards digital content
Sony says the continuing digitalisation of entertainment is the main reason it plans to stop producing discs for new PlayStation games in 2028. Tao said the company reached its decision after putting “a lot of thought and time” into the issue.
“We came to this conclusion, and we’re going to cautiously move this forward,” Tao said through an interpreter during the earnings call, as reported by Kotaku.
Tao said Sony would continue exploring how to engage players within a future digital ecosystem. The company’s position follows its announcement that discs for new PlayStation games will end starting in 2028.
Sony has presented the change as the result of a long-term content trend rather than a short-term response to the current console market. Its latest comments establish that the stated plan remains in place, but do not provide additional detail about the rollout.
Regional retail plans remain unclear
Sony has not detailed how the end of new PlayStation discs will be implemented in the UAE. Tao said retail markets have regional differences and that Sony intends to hold discussions with its regional partners.
She pointed to North America as one market where publishers could continue shipping empty boxes containing download codes. Sony did not say that this approach would apply in the UAE, and a box containing a code would not provide the resale and lending options associated with a game disc.
For players choosing between physical and digital purchases, the policy specifically concerns discs for new games starting in 2028. Sony’s comments do not state that existing PlayStation discs will stop working, nor do they amount to an announcement that the PS4 itself is being discontinued.
Tao also argued that a disc drive is not PlayStation’s defining advantage over PC. She identified curated content, a stable gaming environment, and a lower cost than high-end gaming PCs as areas where Sony believes PlayStation hardware can compete. Those are Sony’s stated reasons for believing its consoles can remain distinct after the planned move away from discs.
Player opposition has not changed Sony’s position
The backlash has prompted protests but has not produced a policy reversal from Sony. Some physical-game advocates, including DoesItPlay, have discussed a week-long PlayStation blackout in mid-August.
Our sister site IGN Middle East has covered the proposed seven-day PlayStation boycott, which asks players to avoid using PlayStation products and services for a week. Sony’s earnings-call response indicates that the company is listening to objections while continuing with the underlying decision.
The remaining uncertainty concerns implementation rather than intent. Sony says it plans to end discs for new games starting in 2028, but it has not set out how individual regions, retailers, or publishers will handle the transition.
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