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Sony to End Physical PlayStation Discs, Sparks 180K Petition

7/8/2026

Summary

Sony Ends Discs

Sony Interactive Entertainment announced it will phase out physical game discs for PlayStation consoles.
Sony said discs accounted for only 3 percent of PlayStation sales and generated under $1 billion in 2024.
A Change.org petition opposing the plan has gathered nearly 180,000 verified signatures.
Sony’s Austrian disc plant will retrain staff to produce car-light microlenses, while figures such as Hideo Kojima and Shawn Layden have called the move frightening.

Summary

Sony Blocks Movies

Sony will block UK PlayStation users from accessing purchased movies “Terminator 2” and “Paddington” after a StudioCanal deal, with removal effective in September.
The titles stay in users’ libraries while Sony will not refund, after its 2023 Discovery show removal, 2022 Funimation purge, and 2021 halt to selling movies on PlayStation Store.
Kojima warned that cloud-based services prevent true ownership of games and movies, exposing buyers to unexpected deletions.

Summary

Sony Goes Digital

Developers say the Grand Theft Auto VI “physical” edition will be a box with only a download code.
Giorgo Paizanis of BCG’s gaming practice notes the market is already 80 percent digital and that Sony’s move will push it further.
Analysts warn downloads erase the ability to resell or lend games, a right tied to physical discs.
The shift to downloads also brings loss of ownership control despite the convenience they offer.

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Sony Ends Discs

Sony Interactive Entertainment announced it will phase out physical game discs for PlayStation consoles.
Sony said discs accounted for only 3 percent of PlayStation sales and generated under $1 billion in 2024.
A Change.org petition opposing the plan has gathered nearly 180,000 verified signatures.
Sony’s Austrian disc plant will retrain staff to produce car-light microlenses, while figures such as Hideo Kojima and Shawn Layden have called the move frightening.

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