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Sony confirms no change to plan of ending physical PlayStation game discs by 2028

From Liberty Times · () Chinese

Translated from Chinese, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Official statement New plan
  • Sony has confirmed its decision to cease releasing physical discs for all new PlayStation games starting in January 2028.
  • The company stated the move aligns with the ongoing digitalization of content and follows extensive evaluation.
  • Despite player backlash and boycott calls, Sony indicated it understands players' emotional attachment to physical media and will consider these sentiments in future digital strategies.

Sony has officially confirmed its decision to discontinue the release of physical discs for all new PlayStation games, a move set to take effect in January 2028. This announcement, made during the company's latest earnings call, addresses the significant backlash from global gamers who have protested the shift to a fully digital format.

This decision will not change.

— Lin TaoSony's CFO confirming the company's decision to stop releasing physical discs for new PlayStation games.

Lin Tao, Sony's CFO, stated that the decision was driven by the overall trend towards digitalization across all forms of content. She emphasized that the company's choice was the result of a long and careful assessment. While Sony acknowledges the strong emotional connection many players have with physical game discs, the company plans to continue exploring ways to foster closer ties with its player base within the evolving digital ecosystem.

The overall content is continuously moving towards digitalization, not just PlayStation, but all types of content are accelerating digitalization.

— Lin TaoSony's CFO explaining the rationale behind the shift to digital-only game releases.

Player opposition has been vocal, with online petitions and boycott campaigns urging Sony to reverse its decision. Critics argue that abandoning physical media will harm the used game market and diminish players' sense of true ownership. Despite these protests, Sony's stance remains firm, indicating that the company is committed to its digital-first strategy for future PlayStation releases. Meanwhile, the PlayStation 5 has achieved cumulative global shipments of over 95.3 million units, though recent quarterly shipments have seen a decrease.

Sony understands players' emotional attachment to physical games and will incorporate these voices into consideration.

— Lin TaoSony's CFO addressing player concerns about the discontinuation of physical game discs.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Liberty Times in Chinese. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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