Sony rejects PlayStation disc backlash, presses ahead with 2028 cutoff

Sony has no plans to reverse course on ending physical disc production for PlayStation games, even as fan anger over the decision has grown into online petitions and a planned boycott.

Sony Chief Financial Officer Lin Tao addressed the controversy for the first time during the company’s Q1 fiscal year 2026 earnings call Thursday, telling analysts the company would “cautiously move this forward.” Ms. Tao, speaking through an interpreter, said Sony had weighed the decision carefully before announcing it and that the shift reflects a broader industry trend toward digital media, not one specific to PlayStation.

Sony announced July 1 that it will stop manufacturing discs for new PlayStation games starting in January 2028, with future titles sold in digital formats only through the PlayStation Store and at retailers, according to the company’s own announcement. Sony’s post did not specify packaging for retail copies going forward; several outlets have reported that some retailers are expected to sell boxes containing only a download code, similar to Rockstar’s approach with “Grand Theft Auto VI,” though Sony has not confirmed that as a universal format. The announcement, coming roughly 18 months ahead of the cutoff, was intended to give retailers and customers time to adjust, Ms. Tao said.

The backlash from players was immediate and has not let up in the weeks since. A Change.org petition called “Don’t Kill the Disc,” started by independent retailer PNP Games, has drawn more than 330,000 signatures, arguing that eliminating discs strips gamers of the ability to resell, lend or permanently own their purchases.

Some players are also organizing a weeklong boycott, dubbed PSBlackout, running Aug. 23 through Aug. 30. Organizers, led by the account DoesItPlay, are asking PlayStation owners to avoid logging in, playing games or making any purchases on Sony’s platforms during that stretch, framing it as an economic protest rather than a call to abandon specific developers.

Ms. Tao acknowledged the criticism directly during the call, saying Sony understands the emotional attachment many players have to physical media. She added that the company is still exploring how to keep gamers engaged as it moves toward an all-digital model. Asked whether the backlash had hurt sales, Ms. Tao said the company was “not seeing any impact on our business” so far.

On the question of retailers, Ms. Tao said Sony is working with regional partners to find arrangements that work for both sides, and argued that PlayStation hardware will continue to compete with PCs on affordability rather than on the availability of physical media.

Several game developers have publicly criticized the decision in recent weeks, including Sandfall Interactive Chief Financial Officer Guillaume Broche, who called it “a shame” for the artistry of physical game releases even as he acknowledged the business logic behind Sony’s move.