- Sony has announced that it will end physical production of PlayStation game discs in 2028
- Fans are protesting the decision and have created a petition to urge Sony to change its mind.
- It already has more than 170,000 signatures.
PlayStation fans have created a petition in a bid to urge Sony to reverse its decision to end production of physical game discs from January 2028, and it has already reached more than 170,000 signatures.
“On July 1, 2026, Sony announced that it will end production of physical discs for all new PlayStation games starting in January 2028,” reads the Change.org petition ‘Don’t Kill the Disc.’ “The new games will be sold digitally or as a box containing only a download code, without any disc inside.”
The petition, created by the CEO of Canadian retailer PNP Games, also notes that days before it was confirmed that grand theft car 6 The physical editions will be released without a disc, but with a digital download code, which disappoints many fans.
“When the market leader finishes the album, the rest of the industry follows,” the statement continued. A disc is a real game that you own. You can loan it, trade it, resell it, gift it, collect it, or pass it on to your children. A box with only a download code is not the same. It is a digital license on plastic packaging. You don’t own it. “You’re renting access that can be revoked, and people have already had purchased movies removed from their libraries and games removed from sale weeks after release.”
With the lack of physical games to sell in retail stores, there is also the risk of job losses and a weaker local economy, the creator added, emphasizing that they are not against digital, but against digital being the only option.
As of this writing, the petition has 172,204 signatures, and the number is growing by the minute, and many fans are expressing their disdain for Sony’s decision.
“Physical media is what makes consoles the best place to play modern AAA games,” said one petitioner. “It is the only decentralized local DRM solution that is acceptable to publishers and provides enough user ownership and control to satisfy both parties. It is crucial that physical media survive until digital ownership is sufficiently resolved. My 30-year streak of PlayStation support depends on this decision. Don’t betray your most loyal and long-time customers, Sony.
Another comment reads: “I’ve been a gamer on the PlayStation platform since the days of PS1, and many of my favorite games have been on PlayStation systems, either as exclusives or simply as a preferred platform. However, I am a physical media gamer and I refuse to support any gaming company that tells me I don’t have the option to own physical media. I hope Sony reverses this decision, but if not, they will stop doing business with me after January 2028.”
There’s plenty more commentary to go through, but while fans are voicing their concerns, Sony is notably quiet on the matter.
After publishing the ad, the company has yet to share a statement in response to the protest, so it remains to be seen if the PlayStation maker will buckle under pressure.
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