Game over for physical media - a digital-only future for gaming?
Sony has announced it will cease physical disc production for PlayStation games by January 2028, moving to a digital-only distribution model. The decision has sparked significant backlash from gamers concerned about ownership, the loss of the second-hand market, and corporate control over pricing.
Why it matters
This represents a major shift in the gaming industry that threatens the concept of digital ownership and the secondary market for physical media.
Once upon a time, buying a video game was a cultural experience. Inside the box was a treasure trove of goodies: beautiful cover art to marvel at, encyclopaedic game manuals to study, and of course, a pristine disc that promised you hours upon hours of entertainment.
If and when you ever grew tired of it, you could share it with a friend or sell it to help fund your next big adventure. Or like me, you could mount them proudly on your shelf, slowly building up your own personal museum of gaming greats.
Well, a monumental change in how we buy and consume video games has just been unveiled. And judging by the widespread reaction, gamers are not one bit happy.
The result? The boxes you see on shelves are about to become empty, possibly forever.
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