More than 335 thousand players are asking Sony not to shut down physical PlayStation games

Sony's decision to stop producing discs for new PlayStation releases starting January 2028 has not gone without player reaction. The petition "Don’t Kill the Disc: Tell Sony to Keep Physical PlayStation Games," launched on July 2, 2026, on the platform Change.org, has gathered over 335 thousand verified signatures at the time of writing. The organizers are asking Sony to keep physical releases even after 2028, emphasizing that they do not oppose digital distribution, but rather a future where it becomes the only available option. The discussion has been further fueled by the confirmation that the physical box of Grand Theft Auto VI will be sold without a disc, only with a code to download the game.

The authors of the petition remind that a physical game is not just a box on a shelf, but a product that the owner can lend, sell, trade, gift, or preserve without a permanent dependency on an online store and user account. They also warn about the consequences that a completely digital market could have on stores, distributors, disc manufacturers, the used games market, and the preservation of gaming history. It is particularly significant that PlayStation, back at E3 2013, built its communication precisely on the freedom to lend and resell physical games. Thirteen years later, players are now trying to convince Sony not to remove what it once represented as one of its greatest advantages.