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Is PlayStation wrong about physical discs, or do consumers really prefer digital?
We asked the experts.
Photo by Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto via Getty Images
- Rob Leane
Published: Friday, 3 July 2026 at 2:40 pm
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You’ve seen the news that PlayStation is planning to stop producing physical game discs from 2028 onwards. The outcry online has been vocal, but one part of Sony’s announcement made me want to dig a little deeper.
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When announcing the news, Sony said, "As consumer preferences and the broader entertainment industry continue to shift away from physical discs to digital, physical game disc production for all new games releasing on PlayStation consoles will be discontinued starting January 2028."
The bit that got me thinking is their emphasis, right at the start, on "consumer preferences." Are they implying that people actually want this, despite the outrage we’ve all seen on social media?
Sony doubled down on this chain of thought later in the announcement, adding, "This is a natural direction for Sony Interactive Entertainment to adapt to consumer trends as the general preference for digital media significantly outpaces physical discs. This transition will enable us to align more closely with how most of our community prefers to access and play games today."
It is obvious that Sony sees digital as a bigger chunk of the market, which gives this decision a basis in logic if true. To find out if it is factual, I checked in with two of the most trusted names in video game industry reporting.
AC Shadows sends you back in time to an era when PlayStation sold physical discs. YASUYOSHI CHIBA/AFP via Getty Images
George E Osborn, editor in chief of the Video Game Industry Memo and the author of the new book Power Play, told me this in no uncertain terms: "It's definitely true that the vast majority of PlayStation software revenue is digital.
"In its most recent financial results, the company said that 85% of its revenue came from digital games compared to just 15% from physical box sales.
"That lines up with other data sources like Ukie's UK video games market valuation, which found that boxed video game sales barely crossed the £300m mark. Digital console revenue hit £2.49bn by comparison.
"So, why the backlash on social media? The answer is that the fans who do prefer physical really like games. Someone who is buying physical releases, including special editions of Triple A titles or limited run releases of various beloved indie games, is doing so because the medium is hugely important to them.
"It means that they're the gamer equivalent of a vinyl junkie or first-edition book collector, which means they're most likely to respond vociferously and negatively. That explains why the announcement has gone down so badly."
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Chris Dring, editor in chief of The Game Business, paints a similar picture. He told me, "It is true that consumer spend has increasingly moved digital.
"Digital downloading is now the dominant distribution method in video games, and physical game sales don't tell us much about a title's performance.
"It does vary by platform. Physical sales on Nintendo remain strong, and in many cases stronger than digital. But for the other consoles, it's a digital world.
"Having said that, there is still a sizeable audience of players who buy physical. It's not unusual to see 20 - 30% of a game's sales, certainly in Europe, come via the physical market when a new big game is launched. Again, it varies. Single player story games tend to do better physically than a multiplayer online shooter.
"I am surprised it's happening so soon. There is still a decent number of players that clearly like to buy things physically. Some of those will be collectors, but there's also those that just like to own things when spending £70 on a title, and then there are people like me, who like to easily share games with other family members.
"So in conclusion, PlayStation is right in that digital is how the majority of players play. But there will be many folks disappointed by this news, as we've seen by the social reaction."
And is there anything to be done about this if you do disagree strongly with PlayStation's decision?
Osborn said, "It's hard to say that there's anything physical media fans can do to encourage Sony or other console makers to change direction on this.
"This is especially true if the plan to drop game discs is aligned with a plan to drop disc drives from the next generation of consoles.
"But in the short term, players who prefer physical media can show their support in a few ways. Buying physical releases of major video games is one way to do so. Supporting a real-world video game retailer or indie label creating physical releases is another.
"And I'd recommend donating to organisations like the National Videogame Museum in Sheffield, who fight to preserve video game history, including physical products.
"Game companies have sought to avoid scrutiny from policymakers over campaigns like Stop Killing Games by implying they're open to conversations about improving game preservation.
"Ending physical disc production could be seen as going back on their word, which is a perception that companies should be keen to avoid in a tightening video game regulatory environment."
As the situation develops, we’ll be sure to keep you updated. This is certainly a reminder that the loudest voices online do not always represent the wider public's behaviour. But still, if this is something that you're passionate about, do support physical media while you can!
Read more:
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Authors
Rob LeaneGaming Editor
Rob Leane is the Gaming Editor at Radio Times, overseeing our coverage of the biggest games on PlayStation, Xbox, Switch, PC, mobile and VR. Rob works across our website, social media accounts and video channels, as well as producing our weekly gaming newsletter. He has previously worked at Den of Geek, Stealth Optional and Dennis Publishing.
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