PlayStation kills physical discs. Evercade, Iam8bit and others keep them alive. Guess where my money will go.

Sony's decision to stop making physical PlayStation discs in 2028 is a blatant monopoly play.

According to a new post on the PlayStation Blog, the company will halt physical game disc production for all new releases in January 2028. They call it a natural direction to adapt to consumer trends.

When physical media disappears, third-party retailers like Amazon and local game shops can no longer compete on price. Without that competition, Sony gets absolute control over the PlayStation Store. They can enforce premium $70 to $80 prices indefinitely. They can phase out deep discounts and lock down regional purchases. Consumers will inevitably pay more for downloaded games because there is nowhere else to shop.

Disc Drive Obsolescence

This announcement alienates players who actively chose to invest extra money into buying disc-drive-equipped consoles. It is even worse for people who recently bought standalone detachable disc drives for the PS5 and PS5 Pro. By January 2028, those hardware additions will become obsolete for any new releases. It makes consumers feel cheated out of their hardware purchases.

Purchasing a digital game does not grant true ownership. It buys a revocable license to access the software. History shows that digital storefronts close and corporations remove content from user libraries without warning. Without a physical disc, video game preservation is severely compromised. We lose the right to lend games to friends, trade them in, or sell them. Gaming turns from a hobby of collection into a permanent system of long-term rentals.

The PC and Evercade alternatives

By closing off physical media, Sony is removing the primary advantage consoles historically held over PCs. This hostile shift is actively pushing gamers toward alternative ecosystems. For players who value physical media and the tangible joy of game collecting, platforms like the Evercade and Polymega offer a refuge. They celebrate cartridges and discs to ensure that what you buy is truly yours to keep forever.

Steam is an infinitely more consumer-friendly platform. It has an open marketplace, backwards compatibility that spans decades, and heavy competition from alternative PC storefronts. The legendary Steam sales make console digital pricing look predatory by comparison.

Yes, Steam isn't physical. But it is where go for games that I can't get phyiscal releases of.

Walking away

Sony is betting that the allure of massive first-party intellectual properties like God of War, Spider-Man, and The Last of Us will force players to accept this digital lockdown. Many loyal fans believe true consumer rights and long-term game preservation are worth more than any single exclusive franchise. It is entirely possible to walk away and live without Sony's IP.

This creates an opportunity for new companies to step up. We might see new mid-range consoles that always support physical media, or maybe a SteamOS-style platform built around discs and cartridges. Companies like Limited Run Games will thrive here. They just won't make PS6 ports.