Another major blow for the world of physical media: from 2028, Sony will distribute PlayStation content exclusively in digital form.
Owners of PlayStation consoles may want to stock up on physical games while they still can. From 2028 onwards, Sony will end disc-based distribution, meaning new titles will only be available through the company’s online store.
According to Sony, this move reflects customer demand. We’re not entirely convinced. After all, when users buy a new PlayStation, every game will have to be downloaded again. And, as we have already seen in the movie industry, licensing issues can arise over time. Sony itself has very recently been involved in rights-related disputes that resulted in hundreds of movies purchased by PlayStation users suddenly becoming inaccessible—with no refunds, simply gone. The same scenario could, in theory, one day apply to games as well.
The long-awaited Grand Theft Auto VI, which has been in development for years, will also be released exclusively as a digital download, with no physical edition for either PlayStation or Xbox. Game publishers, of course, also see clear advantages in this model: complete control over their content. A game remains the property of the publisher, meaning that if the company ceases operations, blocks a user’s account for any reason, or simply removes the title from its servers, access to the game can disappear.
Looking further ahead, this also has an unfortunate consequence for game preservation. Many of the titles released in the coming years may never become part of the retro gaming scene. Once they are gone, they could be gone for good.