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Sony survey suggests reconsideration of January 2028 disc discontinuation

Simon Ellis 0 comments 2 min read

Sony survey suggests reconsideration of January 2028 disc discontinuation. Developers asked if abandoning physical media creates problems.

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Sony may be reconsidering its plan to remove physical game discs from future PlayStation consoles, a shift that could preserve disc-based gaming for millions of players who rely on physical media. This potential reversal matters because it challenges the company's previous commitment to a fully digital ecosystem, which would have forced users to purchase games exclusively through online storefronts. Such a shift would preserve the conventional retail approach where consumers can purchase, exchange, and resell physical game copies.

Survey asks developers if abandoning physical media creates problems

The speculation stems from a large-scale survey Sony recently sent to game developers, according to a report by the insider known as Moore’s Law Is Dead. The survey asks developers whether abandoning physical game sales would create significant problems for their projects or business models. This internal inquiry suggests Sony is actively evaluating the impact of removing disc drives on third-party publishers and the broader software market.

Sony previously announced that it would stop producing physical versions of new PlayStation games starting in January 2028. That timeline remains the official company stance, and no formal announcement has been made to revise these plans. This survey likely serves as an initial assessment of developer opinions prior to the establishment of final policies for the next fiscal period.

The timing of this developer survey may be influenced by the strong physical sales performance of recent titles, such as Marvel’s Wolverine, which demonstrated continued consumer demand for disc-based games. Although the survey findings remain undisclosed, they might supply Sony with the necessary information to support a potential policy revision. We have previously covered scenarios where physical discs might return if Sony opens its licensing to third parties, but this current development focuses on internal strategy rather than external licensing changes.

For now, this information remains unofficial, and Sony has not announced any change in its plans to discontinue physical media after January 2028. The company continues to operate under its original timeline, meaning consumers should expect physical discs to remain available for the foreseeable future. A formal announcement from Sony would be necessary to reverse this policy, and no such statement has been made to date.

Source: IXBT

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