Goodbye, Physical Discs

An era comes to an end.

On July 1, 2026, Sony released a statement announcing that starting in January 2028, all new games releasing on PlayStation consoles will no longer receive physical disc editions.

Personally, it doesn’t affect me that much since I rarely buy physical games anymore. I’m definitely part of the 85% of people who buy their games digitally. But even then, hearing this news made me surprisingly nostalgic.

I still remember coming home with my mom after stopping at GameStop to buy a new release. Sitting in the car, I would read every single word on the front cover, then flip it over and read the back. And of course, there was the unforgettable booklet inside every copy. It wasn’t just buying a game, it was part of the experience.

Over the years, that slowly changed. Game cases slowly became nothing more than plastic boxes holding a disc. Sure, that’s technically all they ever were, but they used to feel like part of the game itself. They enhanced the excitement instead of simply delivering the product.

A big reason for that was the rise of digital platforms like the PlayStation Store, the Xbox Store, and services like Game Pass, giving players instant access to thousands of games.

And honestly… why would you leave your house when you can buy a game in a few clicks and start playing immediately?

Well… that’s exactly how Sony sees it too.

This announcement also comes at an interesting time, right as Grand Theft Auto VI pre-orders are beginning. Reports have already suggested that the physical version will only contain a download code inside the box instead of the actual game on a disc. That news even led some game retailers to publicly question whether selling an empty plastic case still makes sense.

As I said before, this announcement doesn’t really change the way I buy games. I’ll probably continue buying everything digitally.

But I still think this marks the end of one of gaming’s most beloved traditions.

Owning a physical copy was one of the closest things we had to truly owning a game. With digital purchases, you’re really buying a license. If one day a company removes that game from its servers or decides to revoke access, the game you paid for can simply disappear. It’s something most of us agreed to years ago without even realizing it, hidden away inside those endless terms and conditions nobody actually reads.

There’s also another concern.

If digital stores become the only place to buy games, publishers gain much more control over pricing. Physical retailers could compete with discounts and special offers, but without them, that competition slowly disappears. It’s something regulators will probably keep an eye on over the coming years, because less competition almost never benefits the customer.

In the end, there’s probably not much we can do besides enjoy these last few years of physical games.

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As always, this is simply my perspective, and I’m here to share it with you.