Is Sony hinting at the PS6 by ending physical disc production in 2028?

“This transition will enable us to align more closely with how most of our community prefers to access and play games today,” the post read.

The news that Sony will no longer release new games for its popular PlayStation console on physical discs comes just days after Rockstar Games announced that its highly anticipated Grand Theft Auto VI would launch without a physical disc version.

The PlayStation 5 (center) has seen a steep rise in prices over the years. (Image credit: Anuj Bhatia / Indian Express)

Gamers, independent retailers, and industry insiders have not welcomed the move, resulting in a backlash on social media. Many have called it a “blow to consumer rights,” arguing that it leaves consumers with no option to own a physical copy of a game. The shift could also hurt retailers significantly, a concern that is gaining traction online.

Sony and its peers, including Microsoft’s Xbox and Nintendo – collectively known as the “Big Three” in the video game market – have long sold digital game codes, but physical copies have remained a staple of the industry for years. However, these companies no longer want to offer physical discs for new games, even though many gamers, especially collectors and hobbyists, still prefer to buy physical copies.

Physical game sales have been declining since peaking at $11.5 billion in 2008, according to Matt Piscatella, senior director and video game industry advisor at retail analytics firm Circana. However, the launch of the Nintendo Switch 2 has helped U.S. spending on physical games increase year over year for the first time since 2009.

Sony currently sells its flagship PlayStation 5 console in two versions: one with a physical disc drive and one without. Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo all operate Apple App Store-style digital storefronts where consumers can purchase video games.

Nintendo too is adapting to digital games as consumer shifts to digital store fronts for buying games. (Image credit: Anuj Bhatia/Indian Express)

In a major shift toward digital distribution of video games, Sony is also closing the digital stores for the PlayStation 3 and PS Vita. This means that users of those consoles will no longer be able to purchase new games. The closures will be rolled out by region beginning this August, with the US store scheduled to close in July 2027.

Console makers such as Sony are under pressure to reduce costs as a memory chip shortage has driven up the prices of video game consoles. Sony, Microsoft, and even Nintendo, which has traditionally been known for absorbing higher costs, have recently raised the prices of their consoles in response to soaring memory chip costs, including those used in devices such as the Nintendo Switch 2. At the same time, flagship game prices are moving toward a new standard of $80, putting further pressure on consumers in an already tight economy.

Many believe that Sony’s decision to end the production of physical games beginning in 2028 is a precursor to the PlayStation 6, which could be an all-digital console. Sony has yet to announce the PS6 officially, but its launch is widely expected to take place around 2028.