Sony is reportedly putting warning labels on PS5s about decision to ditch discs

Sony has reportedly started placing warning labels on PlayStation 5 consoles alerting purchasers of its decision to soon discontinue physical disc games.

That’s according to an image posted on X by content creator Behind the Games, which shows a sticker placed on a PlayStation 5 box flagging the decision to end disc production in January 2028.

“IMPORTANT NOTICE: From Jan. 2028, newly released games on PlayStation will be available for purchase on PlayStation Store and at retailers in digital format only,” the alleged message reads. “Discs for games released before Jan. 2028 can continue to be played on this console.”

The label has not yet been authenticated by other users, and, if real, it’s not clear whether it’s been placed on all variants of PlayStation 5.

Last week, Sony broke its silence on the backlash to the decision to stop making PlayStation discs and indicated that it was going to “cautiously move forward” with the decision, despite criticism from some players.

During an earnings results Q&A, Sony CFO Lin Tao acknowledged the backlash to the decision on social media for the first time, stating that while Sony was aware of players’ reaction to the news, its focus was on how to keep them interested in PlayStation games when it goes all-digital.

“To this decision we have received various opinions, and people have strong views, and we understand that the community has put forward those views to us,” she explained.

“Games are loved by many people, it’s a form of entertainment that’s loved by people, and it’s connected to people’s fond memories in many cases, and so we understand those emotions.

“We want to consider that, and in the future digital ecosystem ‘how do we engage the gamers’ is something that we would like to continue to explore.”

During the same Q&A, Sony said it’s been talking to retailers about its disc-free future and suggested that US retailers may still sell digital codes in boxes.