A few days ago, Sony announced its plans to end the production of physical discs for PlayStation consoles starting in January 2028. The ramifications within the video game industry are quite massive, with major concerns erupting over the future lack of physical product ownership, the reduced ability to preserve media into the future, the removal of consumer choice, and more.
Needless to say, the backlash has been as fast as it has been furious. Many, including Pocket-lint’s own Eli Becht, have rightfully pointed out that the death of physical PlayStation games is also a net negative for the Blu-ray disc movie and television show scene as a whole, seeing as how current-generation game consoles are among the most approachable and commonplace 4K UHD players out on the market.
Even putting aside Sony’s announcement, the fact of the matter is that optical-based physical media has become a husk of its former self in recent years. Fewer media products are being distributed on disc than, say, a decade ago, fewer brick and mortar store shelves are stocked with discs, and the general trajectory appears to be one of a continued path towards an all-digital and all-streaming future.
However, there’s still hope out there for lovers of physical media — let me explain.
What’s old is new again
A new era of physical media fervor is bound to ensue
You see, I’m of the opinion that physical media is about to rebound in the most impactful way imaginable. Consumers are yearning for physical media products (and other pre-digital-only technologies) now more than ever. We’ve already seen a spike in interest for vinyl records, CDs, iPods, and more in recent times, and retro video game consoles that interface with physical discs and cartridges are more popular now than they have been in years.
Anecdotally, people I speak to are fed up with everything now requiring a subscription fee, costs constantly creeping upwards, and the confusing mess that is navigating when and where to find shows and films across various platforms. Physical media represents not only a simpler time in tech, but also a streamlined one that simply gets the job done without a fuss.
Plus, nostalgia is a major force to reckon with here. Increasingly, technologies like DVD and Blu-ray are looked back upon fondly, and many consumers are correctly identifying that optical media is not only pro-consumer in its ethos, but also capable of providing better audio and picture quality than its streaming-based counterpart.
…the desire for real, tangible ownership of purchased products is something that’ll only ever get more intense.
While I have nothing concrete to back up my hypothesis, I personally reckon that Sony’s decision to end production of PlayStation discs in 2028 will ultimately serve to bolster support for physical media. Consumers don’t appreciate the removal of choice, and the desire for real, tangible ownership of purchased products is something that’ll only ever get more intense as the digital age treks onward.
As more and more people reject the phase out of physical media products and turn to the second-hand market for hard copies of media, a feedback loop may ensue that could force big tech’s hand. I can envision a future in which demand for discs reaches a tipping point, and companies that previously ended production of players, blank discs, and more begin to pump the breaks on their all-digital worldview.
Plus, if a next-generation optical media format (like, perhaps, Folio Disc) were to eventually reach the consumer market, it could further break the spell of today’s digital-only mindset in the long run. Sure, streaming will always be more convenient in theory, but there are also plenty of intangible factors (like the convenience of ownership) at play that consumers are bound to be receptive to.
Whether or not physical media makes its timely comeback is anyone’s guess, but if I were a betting man, I’d wager that its return is an inevitability.
