Sony buries the disc in 2028: the end of a physical era

Sony has confirmed that it will stop manufacturing disc-based games for PlayStation starting in 2028. This decision accelerates the transition to the digital format, a move that the former head of Nintendo already anticipated in 2009. For players, this means physical titles will be scarcer and likely more expensive, as store shelves gradually empty.

PlayStation console on a pedestal, glowing blue light fading as a disc slowly cracks and dissolves into digital particles, empty retail shelves in background with dust motes floating, a robotic arm retracting a disc tray mechanism while a holographic game library expands, cinematic photorealistic technical illustration, dramatic shadow and light contrast, ultra-detailed plastic and metal textures, slow-motion decay effect, industrial sterile lighting

The end of the laser: how the cloud buries the Blu-ray 💿

From a technical standpoint, eliminating the disc reduces production, logistics, and distribution costs. Sony is betting on servers and direct downloads, a model already dominant on PC and platforms like Steam. However, the absence of physical media means the user does not own the game, only a revocable license. Additionally, reliance on an internet connection and hard drive storage become mandatory requirements, not optional ones.

Nintendo, the grandmother who still keeps cartridges in her purse 🎮

While Sony hops on the digital train, Nintendo reminds us that half of its sales are still physical. The big N has no plans to eliminate cartridges, perhaps because its fans still believe blowing into the slot is part of the gaming ritual. Or simply because they don't want Mario to become a ZIP file that gets deleted when switching consoles. After all, it will always be more fun to lose a cartridge than to forget a password.