Uploaded July 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
PlayStation's decision to discontinue physical release of games is apparently an "inevitable thing."
According to the new data, back in 2009, there are 292 million physical units being sold. By June of this this year, it dropped to 37 million. And thanks to PlayStation discontinuing physical sales until 2028, that number of 37 million will eventually drop to zero. If there are 292 million physical sales in 2009 and 37 million physical sales in 2026, that's a reduction of 15 million sales on average per year. So, by 2028, there would only be 7 million physical sales, and by 2029, there won't be anyone making physical copies of games anymore. Oh, sorry. Those are the stats of the overall physical copies. For PlayStation, it's basically going through the same trajectory but worse.
The chart is showing data from 2009, but the situation back then is way different to today. Back in those days, the internet infrastructure isn't good enough to stream HD videos, let alone download gigabytes of games. Back in those days, the only way for you to get full copies of major AAA releases like Uncharted 2 or Modern Warfare 2 original is only through the physical Blu-Ray copies of those games. Right now, we have way better internet, way better digital market, way better data distribution, it's all way better. People can download hundreds of gigabytes of games in just a couple of hours. Back in 2009, that is a luxury. Right now, that is normal.
This does not mean the market for physical copies is suddenly gone. People still buy vinyl even when Spotify exists, and they're still making vinyl players to this day like this one from Audio Technica. This doesn't mean Sony or Microsoft should stop supporting Blu-Rays even if they will end up being a product for enthusiasts. Blu-Ray films or series tend to have way better quality than streaming. They're still going to be produced to this day because there is a market for it. There is still a market for physical, and Sony just refuses to support it.
Sony is losing profit margins, and they're going to get it in whatever ways they can even at the expense of the consumers. I think Sony should provide support for external Blu-Ray readers. That's a reasonable compromise to keep physical copies alive. That's how physical copies can still function on PC. There are still Blu-Ray readers and cases with disc reader slots being made for PC. That, or just ditch PlayStation and go to PC.
PlayStation's decision to discontinue physical release of games is apparently an "inevitable thing."
According to the new data, back in 2009, there are 292 million physical units being sold. By June of this this year, it dropped to 37 million. And thanks to PlayStation discontinuing physical sales until 2028, that number of 37 million will eventually drop to zero. If there are 292 million physical sales in 2009 and 37 million physical sales in 2026, that's a reduction of 15 million sales on average per year. So, by 2028, there would only be 7 million physical sales, and by 2029, there won't be anyone making physical copies of games anymore. Oh, sorry. Those are the stats of the overall physical copies. For PlayStation, it's basically going through the same trajectory but worse.
The chart is showing data from 2009, but the situation back then is way different to today. Back in those days, the internet infrastructure isn't good enough to stream HD videos, let alone download gigabytes of games. Back in those days, the only way for you to get full copies of major AAA releases like Uncharted 2 or Modern Warfare 2 original is only through the physical Blu-Ray copies of those games. Right now, we have way better internet, way better digital market, way better data distribution, it's all way better. People can download hundreds of gigabytes of games in just a couple of hours. Back in 2009, that is a luxury. Right now, that is normal.
This does not mean the market for physical copies is suddenly gone. People still buy vinyl even when Spotify exists, and they're still making vinyl players to this day like this one from Audio Technica. This doesn't mean Sony or Microsoft should stop supporting Blu-Rays even if they will end up being a product for enthusiasts. Blu-Ray films or series tend to have way better quality than streaming. They're still going to be produced to this day because there is a market for it. There is still a market for physical, and Sony just refuses to support it.
Sony is losing profit margins, and they're going to get it in whatever ways they can even at the expense of the consumers. I think Sony should provide support for external Blu-Ray readers. That's a reasonable compromise to keep physical copies alive. That's how physical copies can still function on PC. There are still Blu-Ray readers and cases with disc reader slots being made for PC. That, or just ditch PlayStation and go to PC.
