- Sony announced plans to end production of physical game discs in January 2028
- The move angered players, with a petition urging the company to reverse the decision garnering over 250,000 signatures.
- MusicMagpie, a major UK second-hand retailer, warns this could lead to higher prices and less choice for shoppers
Last week, PlayStation maker Sony announced it would end production of new game discs in January 2028 in response to demand for digital versions “significantly” exceeding that for physical versions. The move immediately angered gamers, with some vowing to stop buying PlayStation products altogether and creating a petition urging the company to change its mind.
The plea has now garnered almost 250,000 signatures, prompting major British second-hand retailer musicMagpie to intervene.
Its in-house physical games expert, Alex Black, warns that Sony’s move will result in higher prices and fewer choices for buyers: “If the industry moves away from physical media altogether, consumers will have fewer opportunities to shop around for the best price or recoup some of the cost of new releases by trading in games.” »
Alex Black
Alex Black is Media Category Manager at musicMagpie and has several years of experience in the used entertainment market. He is responsible for the company’s video game and book categories, overseeing pricing, business strategy and market analysis.
He believes the move even risks making the hobby less accessible by excluding people with less disposable income. “Used games allow people to access more affordable games while extending the life of physical products,” he explains.
“Customers regularly buy used games to save money and sell completed titles to finance their next purchase. It’s a model that benefits both consumers and sustainability by keeping products in mint condition in circulation for longer.”
The retailer is also aware of the backlash online following this announcement and believes it shows how important physical releases are to gamers, even though Sony seems to think otherwise.
“Gamer feedback on Sony’s decision to go digital-only clearly demonstrates that there is a huge community of gamers who still value physical ownership, whether to collect, preserve, or simply own something they can keep, loan, or resell,” says Black.
“For many consumers, purchasing a physical game means purchasing an asset that maintains or even increases in value. In comparison, digital purchases are tied to licensing and various platforms, meaning consumers have less flexibility over what they purchase.”
musicMagpie’s sales data certainly indicates that there is still some demand for physical titles. Over the past year, the retailer sold approximately 360,000 physical video games, including more than 157,000 for PlayStation systems.
While musicMagpie’s stance may win points with gamers, it might already be too late for Sony to change course. The company has already taken steps to convert the historic PlayStation factory that made 24 billion discs, while industry analysts say digital sales are “simply too lucrative” to ignore.
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