Sony says it’s been talking to retailers about its disc-free future, suggests US retailers may still sell codes in a box
The PlayStation company says it’s trying to find “win-win” situations with retailers
Sony says it has been discussing its digital-only PlayStation plans with retailers around the world.
Following its decision to stop making physical discs starting from January 2028, retailers have been concerned about what this means for future sales.
At a Q&A session following its Q1 2026 earnings announcement, Sony CEO Lin Tao stated that the company has been in discussion with retailers in an attempt to find solutions that will make both sides happy, suggesting that code-in-a-box releases could still come to regions like North America.
“For the last 30 years we have been selling PlayStation and retail partners have always been important to us,” she said (via Sony’s translator).
“With the completion of disc production we communicated this at an early stage, so that we have enough time to be able to listen to various partners’ voices.
“In North America this has already happened, but without discs in the package there’s a code included, that’s how they sell in North America. “There are regional characteristics for each regional partner, so we’ll try to have thorough dialogue so that we can end up in a win-win situation.”
UK trade organisation has already condemned Sony’s plans
It remains to be seen whether Sony’s discussions will satisfy retail trade organisations, some of whom have already spoken out about Sony’s plans to stop making discs.
Earlier this month the Entertainment Retailers Association (ERA), the UK trade organisation for physical and digital entertainment sales, said Sony’s all-digital plans harmed both players and retailers.
“PlayStation’s announcement that major games will no longer be available on disc is a triumph of corporate convenience over consumer choice,” ERA CEO Kim Bayley said in a statement at the time.
“Every year, millions of gamers still choose to buy physical copies because they value true ownership. A disc can be shared with family, traded in, collected, preserved and, crucially, still played years from now. A download licence often offers none of those freedoms.”
She added: “Physical games continue to bring people into shops and give consumers real value through gifting, collecting and resale. The industry should be embracing every legitimate way consumers want to buy games, not narrowing their choices. Digital distribution has transformed gaming and is hugely popular, but it should complement physical formats, not replace them.”
Although a petition urging Sony to change its mind has now reached 300,000 signatures, the company’s largest production site in Austria is already preparing to move away from manufacturing discs. Sony has has invested around €30 million in new equipment designed for making optical microlenses instead, and has already started training its staff to work on it.
