Sony has officially announced that from January 2028 it will stop producing physical discs for all new PlayStation games. After that date, fresh releases will arrive only in digital form — through the PlayStation Store and retail stores. The company says the move reflects changing player habits and the entertainment industry’s wider shift from discs to digital purchases.
This is not just about the PlayStation Store. Sony has separately clarified that retailers will still be able to sell new PlayStation games, just without physical media. The exact setup has not been revealed yet: it could involve download-code cards, codes inside boxes or other digital sales formats through regular stores.
The change will not affect games already released on disc or titles that make it to physical format before January 2028. That means the disc-based PlayStation 5 and the detachable PS5 disc drive will not suddenly become useless: they will continue to work with existing physical copies. The restriction applies only to new releases after the cutoff date.
Sony’s decision stands out especially against recent discussions around physical editions of GTA 6. The code-in-a-box format keeps retailers in the loop, but effectively removes the disc itself from the package. Sony is now confirming that this approach will become the main direction for new PlayStation games from 2028.
At the same time, the company announced changes for older platforms. PS3 Store closures in selected regions will begin in August 2026, while PS3 and PS Vita stores in the remaining countries will shut down in July 2027. According to Sony, previously purchased content will remain available for download for the foreseeable future. The original report did not list prices.