Sony will stop shipping future PlayStation games as physical media in 2028 and will transition to distributing games for its consoles through its digital download store, the company announced on Wednesday.
In a statement explaining the decision, Sony Interactive Entertainment’s Senior Director of Content Communications Sid Shuman said the company was moving to digital-only distribution of its PlayStation games based on consumer trends that favored that method over purchasing games on physical discs.
“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,” Shuman said. “This transition will enable us to align more closely with how most of our community prefers to access and play games today.”
Sony offered no data that showed consumers prefer digital game downloads over physical media. Digital downloads are typically tied to a single account, and prevents customers from sharing games with friends, trading games, selling them or buying used titles at retailers like GameStop.
Currently, Sony ships its PlayStation 5 games on ultra high-definition (UHD/4K) Blu-Ray discs, while its older PlayStation 4 console uses ordinary Blu-Ray discs for games. The consoles are also compatible with movies that ship on UHD and ordinary Blu-Rays. Sony developed the Blu-Ray format, with its inclusion in PlayStation consoles helping the company edge out a competing format developed by Toshiba in the mid-2000s.
“We’ll continue to prioritize our resources to drive innovation in how players can access games and provide choices as to where players prefer to purchase new games, whether that’s at retailers or PlayStation Store,” Shuman affirmed. “We remain committed to delivering a world-class gaming experience to our fans.”
Separately, Sony said it was winding down its PlayStation store for its since-retired PlayStation 3 console and PS Vita handheld gaming devices over the next year. Gamers in Mexico, Honduras and Nicaragua will see the PlayStation 3 store close next month, with all countries affected by next summer.
“We know this news may be disappointing to PS3 and PS Vita players who hold a special place in their hearts for this generation of gaming,” Shuman said. “PS3 and PS Vita represent an important era in our PlayStation history, so this was not an easy decision for us to make.”
Customers who purchased digital titles in the affected stores will still be able to download those games, but no new purchases will be allowed once the stores close.
