Earlier this month, Sony announced it would end its production of physical game discs starting January 2028. Physical games purchased in boxes after that date will be sold with codes only to download from the PlayStation Store.
Sony's surprise announcement was met with backlash from physical game fans who were concerned that digital games purchased could be deleted, no longer be available, or if a PlayStation account is banned, no longer be accessible.
Despite the backlash and criticism it received, Sony announced that it has no plans to reverse its original decision. Sony's CFO, Lin Tao, explained that the decision was made because of the global trend toward digital content that is accelerating. Sony stressed that it had considered the matter carefully before deciding to go ahead with it.
But Sony understands that physical games have nostalgic value and emotional connections among gamers. It is also looking into how to continue to engage players in the digital ecosystem in the future.
Perhaps Sony could follow Steam's lead in allowing accounts to be passed on as digital property to heirs. They could also follow Xbox's lead by allowing physical games to be converted into digital versions that can then be stored in a personal library.
The fact is that by 2025, 78% of PlayStation game sales will be digital with only 22% being physical. The trend is declining year after year and by 2028, it is predicted to be even lower.
