Industry figures reportedly reacted with growing resentment to Sony’s plan to stop releasing new games on disc from 2028. Some developers and publishers argue that the physical market still carries substantial value, especially in Europe and other regions where disc sales remain stronger.

 
Two months after Sony’s widely criticized announcement, the debate over the future of physical PlayStation releases shows no sign of cooling down. The company continues to defend its digital transition while petitions, consumer criticism and concerns from within the games industry place it under increasing pressure.

A discussion on the latest Digital Foundry program suggested that several developers and publishers were deeply upset by the decision. Analysts described genuine resentment toward Sony because many studios still consider boxed releases and the consumer choice they provide to be important.

Digital sales continue to grow worldwide, but physical copies have not become irrelevant in every market. Some major games still achieve a near-even split between digital and disc sales in several regions, which is why both smaller publishers and larger companies such as CD Projekt Red continue to see value in physical distribution.

The contrast is becoming sharper as Xbox introduces a disc-to-digital entitlement program designed to preserve the usefulness of physical libraries. Unless Sony offers a comparable compromise, its policy could create a lasting loss of trust not only among players, but also throughout its relationships with developers and publishers.

Source: Tech4Gamers