A historic turning point for PlayStation

Sony recently officially confirmed that it will completely stop producing physical discs for all new games starting in the first month of 2028. Instead, the company is shifting entirely to digital distribution through its official PlayStation Store and selling activation codes in physical stores. This is the so-called “code in a box” format.

Sony has already begun renovating its iconic CD factory in Salzburg, Austria, to achieve this goal. The facility will no longer produce gaming media, but will instead be converted to produce optical microlenses. For those still holding on to older titles, there is some comfort. Publishers will still be able to order reprints of existing discs for games released before the deadline, and the decision does not affect titles planned for release before 2028.

However, the move to a digital-only model has raised concerns among both gamers and the industry. Renowned video game developer Hideo Kojima has publicly warned that such a system carries significant risks, as users could lose access to content they have actually purchased at any time. Critics cite Sony's simultaneous closure of digital stores for the older PS3 and PS Vita consoles by July 2027, as well as past deletion of over 500 movie titles StudioCanal from user libraries.

Opponents of the strategy point out that physical media is crucial to maintaining competitive prices in the market, while the digital monopoly takes away control of ownership from customers. It is a dramatic move, according to former head of PlayStation Worldwide Studios Shawn Layden. The whole situation has even become a target of ridicule from other brands on social media, with companies such as KFC, GitHub and Respawn making fun of the announcement.