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Ken Kutaragi, the former Sony Interactive Entertainment chairman who oversaw the original PlayStation, PlayStation 2 and PlayStation 3, says Sony’s move away from game discs has created friction with dedicated players. He understands why a disc represents ownership to many fans, but says keeping disc infrastructure is no longer economically reasonable for a networked platform.
Sony has said it plans to stop manufacturing new PlayStation game discs from January 2028. That is a manufacturing target—not an announcement that every physical game disappears immediately or that existing discs stop working.
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What Ken Kutaragi said about the dispute
In an interview with VGC’s Andy Robinson at the Game Republic New Horizons event on 16 October 2026, Kutaragi acknowledged the emotional and practical importance of physical games while defending Sony’s economic direction.
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“I really understand [why some people are upset], but I don’t think it’s economically reasonable. Maybe it’s a mentality issue.”
“But this has caused some friction with game enthusiasts.”
These are Kutaragi’s views, not a new Sony policy statement. He also suggested that current leadership may see PlayStation increasingly as a network-connected content terminal, partly because executives and staff with backgrounds at Gaikai and other streaming companies joined the organisation.
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When Sony plans to end new disc manufacturing
Sony executives have identified January 2028 as the planned point at which manufacturing of new PlayStation game discs will end. CFO Lin Tao said digitalization was the main reason and that Sony would proceed cautiously after considering strong community opinions.
The wording matters. The announcement concerns manufacturing new discs; it does not establish that all PS5 games become unavailable physically on that date, nor does it set an automatic shutdown date for existing discs, retailers’ inventory or second-hand markets.
Why Sony says digital distribution makes economic sense
Sony’s sales mix shows why management regards discs as a declining part of the platform. According to Sony fiscal-year data reported by Ars Technica, digital downloads represented 78% of full-game unit purchases during the fiscal year ending 31 March 2026. That is a company-reported mix for that period, not a permanent or universal share of every PlayStation market.
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Tom’s Hardware reported Sony’s figures for April–June 2026 as $1.2 billion in digital game revenue and $128 million in physical game revenue. Those are reported company results for FY26’s first quarter, not an independently audited estimate of the entire games industry.
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1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsUS market data cited from Circana also shows the long decline in physical software sales: 297 million units in June 2008–June 2009 compared with 37 million units in the latest year reported in the coverage. The figures describe the United States and different reporting periods, so they should not be read as a worldwide annual forecast.
For Sony, digital delivery avoids pressing, packaging and shipping discs, while allowing games and updates to reach players instantly. The company has argued that discs are no longer a strong platform differentiator and that PlayStation’s value is instead its curated content, stable game environment and lower entry cost than a high-end gaming PC.
Why players see discs as more than a delivery format
Fans’ objections are not only about nostalgia. A physical copy gives the buyer several forms of control that a digital license may not provide in the same way.
| Concern | What a physical disc can provide | Digital equivalent or limitation |
|---|---|---|
| Resale | A disc can usually be sold after purchase, subject to the retailer and market. | Digital copies generally cannot be resold as used products. |
| Lending | The owner can hand the disc to a friend or family member. | Account-based licenses normally remain tied to the purchasing account. |
| Price | Used discs can offer cheaper access, and retailers can discount boxed stock. | Digital discounts depend on the platform store and its sale schedule. |
| Offline access | A disc can provide a local installation route, although patches or online checks may still be required. | Downloading requires the account, store access and enough local storage; some games also require online services. |
| Collecting and preservation | The buyer owns a tangible object that can be stored, catalogued and revisited. | A digital purchase depends on continued account access, compatible hardware and store availability. |
Former PlayStation Worldwide Studios chairman Shawn Layden summarized the ownership concern this way: “If you can’t sell a thing, that means you don’t own a thing. And if you don’t own it, then what are you buying?” He described the potential effect on the brand as significant.
Will PS5 games still be available physically?
Based on the announced plan, physical PS5 releases can continue before January 2028, and discs already manufactured can remain in stores or circulate through the used market afterward. The available information does not establish how many publishers will keep releasing boxed editions during the transition, how long retailers will hold stock, or whether every game will receive a disc release.
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Players should therefore distinguish three events: a publisher choosing a digital-only launch, Sony ending manufacture of new discs, and a particular game becoming unavailable for purchase. They are related but not identical.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Should you buy physical PS5 games before 2028?
Buy physical when resale, lending, collecting or access to used pricing matters to you, or when you want a local copy that is less dependent on a store listing. A disc is not a guarantee of permanent offline play—modern games may require patches, servers or account features—but it gives you a different form of control.
Choose digital when instant delivery, automatic access from your account and avoiding physical storage matter more than resale. Check the game’s offline mode, download size, required updates and online-service dependencies before purchasing; “digital” does not describe one uniform ownership or preservation model.
What the change means for resale and preservation
If new disc production ends, the supply of fresh physical copies will gradually depend on existing stock and circulation through second-hand buyers. Scarce editions may become collectibles, while common games may remain readily available for years. Prices will vary by title and region rather than following a single predictable pattern.
Preservation is the harder issue. A disc can preserve data, but access may still depend on patches, authentication, downloadable content and servers. Digital distribution can keep a game convenient to obtain while making long-term access dependent on Sony’s account and store systems. Sony’s challenge is not simply reducing manufacturing cost; it is maintaining trust that purchases remain usable as the platform becomes more network-dependent.
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