{
  "id": 16063062,
  "title": "Sony has stopped selling 4K Blu-ray players in Japan — is this the beginning of the end?",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/22/sony-has-stopped-selling-4k-blu-ray-players-in-japan-is-this-the",
  "topic": "tech",
  "section": "Tech",
  "published": "2026-10-22T14:48:04.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "TechRadar",
    "slug": "techradar",
    "url": "https://www.techradar.com/televisions/blu-ray/sony-has-stopped-selling-4k-blu-ray-players-in-japan-the-rest-of-the-world-still-has-stock-but-the-sony-x700k-is-the-best-budget-4k-player-so-you-may-want-to-get-it-while-you-can"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Sony has ceased selling its final 4K Blu-ray player in Japan, the UBP-X700. This model is currently out of stock on the Sony Japan online store, with the listing indicating it will not be restocked. According to Japanese retailer Kuntoku, sales in Japan will conclude on 22nd October. The UBP-X700 is praised as a budget player, potentially the best budget player in its class, according to the author's review. However, the discontinuation of this player raises concerns for other markets. Major retailers, including Sony's own websites in the US and UK, still have stock available. Sony's PlayStation division is also moving towards a disc-free future, with the PS5 Pro being disc-free by default and disc support for future games being discontinued. While the PS5 can be purchased to serve as a 4K Blu-ray device, it lacks support for features like Dolby Vision, HDR10+, Dolby Atmos, and DTS decoding. Sony has not officially confirmed the disc's complete demise in future consoles, but the discontinuation of optical discs alongside Sony's plans to stop selling game discs and the lack of an optical drive in the PS5 Pro suggest a bleak Blu-ray future for upcoming consoles. With manufacturers showing less interest in the format, no apparent successor to the disc format appears on the horizon. The author suggests that Blu-ray discs are experiencing a resurgence, but the players are struggling. For those who still prefer optical media, it is advisable to purchase one of the best Blu-ray players before stock runs out. The article concludes that the movie market may eventually shift towards a hybrid model, combining streaming with high-quality downloads for enthusiasts with deeper pockets.",
  "summary": "From today, the PS5 will be the only Blu-ray playback device Sony sells in Japan, and that doesn't exactly have a bright disc-based future either.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}