Sony appears to be putting labels on PS5 console boxes to warn people it’s ending disc production

In case it was ever in doubt, it seems Sony is not backing down from its controversial decision to stop manufacturing physical disc-based games. It appears a notice is being shipped with new PS5 consoles that have disc drives to warn users that, as announced, PlayStation will cease to support physical media at the beginning of 2028.

“Important notice: from January 2028, newly released games on PlayStation will be available for purchase on PS Store and at retailers in digital format only,” reads the notice. “Discs for games released before January 2028 can continue to be played on this console.”

Eurogamer has not had a chance to verify this warning at the time of writing, but there appear to be a few sources online right now suggesting this is indeed real.

It’s not really a surprise that Sony is making this clear to consumers; ever since it made the announcement, Sony has remained bullish on the issue. Nevertheless, there has been plenty of evidence to suggest games are always cheaper in physical stores and that the move will have negative consequences on consumer rights. Factor in Sony’s experimentation with dynamic pricing, and you can see why consumers are apprehensive about the proposed ‘all-digital future’.

The move to end physical media has proved unpopular. As a reaction to the news, one group of fans has organised a PS5 ‘blackout’, whilst another faction is promoting a petition to try and get Sony to change its mind. The backlash against Sony has moved beyond simply its gaming properties, too: numerous social media posts written by the company are met with frustrated players keen to share their disapproval. Some comments, as you can imagine, are more civil than others.