Sony has warned that production of physical games will be terminated as of January 2028, “in response to shifting trends in consumer preference.”
From that point forward, new PlayStation games will be available on PlayStation Store and at retailers “in digital formats only.” This likely means physical collectors will have to settle for more code-in-box releases, as announced for Grand Theft Auto VI‘s initial release this November. However, physical games released prior to January 2028 will not be impacted.
“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,” said Sid Shuman, Senior Director, Sony Interactive Entertainment Content Communications, via a post on the PlayStation Blog. “This transition will enable us to align more closely with how most of our community prefers to access and play games today.”
Per a report released by Circana last week, physical game spending in the US has been declining for some time, declining year-over-year from $11.5 billion in 2009 to $1.5 billion in 2025. In Canada, physical games account for about $0.93 billion of the total software sold. However, Circana also reports that 2026 saw the first uptick in physical game sales in 16 years, despite aggressive market conditions and rising prices across the industry.
The loss of physical games will be a serious blow to consumers’ options. Users will be losing the ability to sell or trade a game once finished with it, and the damage of losing access to one’s PlayStation account becomes all the greater. It also has grim tidings for the future of game preservation, as delisted games risk being lost altogether.
Shifting to digital-only game sales means customers will lose the option to own their games, leaving only the option to purchase a revocable license to access them. However, many consumers feel this point is somewhat moot, since new games require considerable updates on their release day to be truly playable.
In an ironic twist, Shuman simultaneously announced the termination of support for the PlayStation Store on PlayStation 3 and PS Vita consoles. The platforms’ access to the Store will be sunset in phases, ultimately closing in all countries by July 2027.
