PlayStation ushered in the new month with a bold statement about the gaming company’s future. As of January 2028, PlayStation plans to stop making physical discs for new games. This announcement of a digital-only future is questionable in its timing. We’ve barely gotten through backlash about GTA 6 offering “code in a box” physical editions over actual discs. And PlayStation itself recently removed over 500 digital purchases from users’ accounts, sparking outrage. Needless to say, PlayStation fans are not happy with this latest move towards a digital-only future.
Though there are PS5 models with disc drives, several of these current-gen consoles skipped the option altogether. The PS5 Pro notably launched without a disc drive, and gamers weren’t happy about that, either. Now, it seems PlayStation has all but confirmed its PS6 will not support physical game discs at all. And that has many longtime PlayStation fans threatening to throw in the towel on years of brand loyalty. For many, the timing is salt in the wound, as it hasn’t even been a week since previously purchased TV shows & movies were pulled from PlayStation users’ accounts without warning.
Data suggests that many gamers have, indeed, moved to a mostly digital landscape for game purchases. In fact, physical game purchases were at an all-time low in 2025. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t still many people who prefer to own a physical copy of media or who can only afford to buy major console games secondhand. Whatever the reason, plenty of consumers prefer the option to buy physical media even in the increasingly digital landscape. Now, that option is being taken away from PlayStation gamers entirely come 2028.
Understandably, the disc-free future announcement isn’t sitting well with many PlayStation fans. Across social media sites like Reddit and X, longtime PlayStation gamers are making their opinions known. “The future looks bleak for gaming on PlayStation,” says one Redditor. “Gamers own nothing anymore I guess,” adds another. Others are calling for more consumer protections to prevent digital games being removed from users’ accounts, claiming this move from Sony makes it all the more necessary.
“I guess PS5 is the end of the line for me then,” says another, who plans to pivot to PC for the next generation if game consoles will no longer support physical games. Indeed, many gamers share that sentiment, with several other comments noting that even longtime PlayStation gamers won’t buy the PS6 without physical discs.
As the price for games has increased, used physical copies are the only way some people can afford to buy PS5 games at all. Without that option, many are planning to pivot to PC gaming, where digital game prices are often cheaper. “After more than 30 years with Sony, I’m switching to PC,” says one Twitter user in response to PlayStation’s announcement. “With no physical games, there isn’t a single valid reason to stay with PlayStation instead of buying a PC.” Others are sharing screenshots of cancelled PlayStation Plus subscriptions as a show of general outrage with Sony.
This news is especially frustrating to those who remember PlayStation’s PS4 campaign, which emphasized the console’s physical discs over the Xbox One’s more restrictive landscape. The old “how to share a game on PS4” video is making the rounds again as players react to the news that a company many loved for its physical gaming-friendly policies is pulling a full 180. For many, it seems PlayStation has lived long enough to see itself become the very villain it once stood against.
What do you think about PlayStation’s pivot away from physical media? Will you still buy a PS6 when the time comes? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!
