Sony’s plan to kill game discs has gamers asking what they really own

Cologne, August 28 - Sony's decision to discontinue disc sales of video games by 2028 has shocked many gamers, sparking calls for a boycott. British developer Chris Bastin, 34, expressed his dismay, stating, "It's the end of an era. I wish it wasn't." Sony's announcement in early July came as a surprise to the gaming community, but the move was anticipated by industry experts.

Joost van Dreunen, a professor at New York University's Stern School of Business, explained that digital distribution has been replacing physical carriers for the past decade, with online stores now taking the place of discs associated with Xbox, PlayStation, or Nintendo's cartridges. Retailers typically earn 20 to 30 percent of the total margin from disc sales, but by distributing games digitally through their own network and servers, companies can save a significant amount of margin.

Digital downloads accounted for nearly 82 percent of game sales on the PS4 and PS5 by the beginning of 2026, according to Sony. This shift has raised concerns among gamers who fear losing the physical copies means they become dependent on the goodwill of service providers, who may or may not maintain players' digital accounts in the future.

Critics argue that going digital is a strategic move by companies to increase profits, with no indication that customers will benefit from the change. Some gamers still cling to the sentimental value of physical copies, reminiscing about their favorite games from the past. However, the law does not grant physical owners exclusive ownership over the game.

Geoffray Brunaux, a lawyer specialising in digital law, explained that both physical and digital copies grant holders a licence to play the game, which can be withdrawn by the company. This issue has led to consumer movements, such as the European Commission receiving nearly 1.3 million signatures on a petition demanding action against game publishers who decide to pull the plug on their games.

Sony is currently facing a lawsuit from the Dutch Stichting Massaschade & Consument consumer group for allegedly engaging in monopolistic practices that increase the cost of digital goods.