Sony Could Be Rethinking Its 2028 Physical Game Exit

Gamescom rumors suggest Sony may be facing pressure from publishers and competitors to keep physical PlayStation games alive.

Sony looked ready to leave physical PlayStation games behind, but now it may be having second thoughts. According to sources, conversations at Gamescom have sparked fresh rumors that Sony may reconsider its plan to stop producing physical games for new releases after January 2028.

Nothing has been officially confirmed, but publishers and people within the industry are reportedly discussing the idea. This is getting interesting because Sony's decision could create a big opening for competitors. While digital games dominate the market today, physical copies are still important to a surprisingly large group of players. 

Some prefer having a disc on the shelf, while others like being able to buy, sell, lend, or keep a game without depending entirely on a digital license. And if Sony walks away from that market, someone else could step in. According to the sources, Microsoft is one company being mentioned in these discussions.

The company is reportedly talking with publishers about its next-generation console, Project Helix, and whether to keep physical games as part of the system. The rumored approach could even allow players to turn physical purchases into digital entitlements. That would be a major shift.

Sony potentially moving away from discs while Microsoft keeps supporting them could completely shake up the console market.

But is Microsoft really in a position to become the champion of physical games? There's a reason to be skeptical. Microsoft has already moved heavily toward digital gaming, and XBOX represents only a small portion of physical game sales in the U.S. According to Circana data referenced in the report, XBOX accounted for roughly 4% of physical game sales during the period discussed, with Nintendo and PlayStation making up most of the remaining market.

Still, Sony's bigger concern may come from publishers themselves. According to the sources, a major publisher has reportedly approached Sony about an upcoming big-budget game and raised concerns over the lack of a physical release. The report claims the publisher could decide not to launch the game on PlayStation if Sony cannot guarantee a physical version.

The publisher's identity has not been confirmed, and there is no evidence it is Rockstar. Plenty of major publishers still have games that attract a significant number of physical buyers, so identifying the mystery company would be little more than guesswork. Square Enix could theoretically fit the description because major Final Fantasy releases continue to have a meaningful physical audience.

However, no confirmation connects the company to these rumors.

For now, Sony has not indicated that its 2028 plan has officially changed. The company still appears to be moving toward a more digital-focused future, and financially, there is little reason to slam the brakes suddenly. The PS5 remains a strong seller, and major releases over the next few years could generate huge revenue. Grand Theft Auto VI alone is expected to be a massive event for the entire gaming industry.

That said, the physical market clearly isn't disappearing overnight. If publishers continue demanding physical options and competitors see an opportunity to capitalize on that demand, Sony could eventually find itself reconsidering how quickly it wants to abandon discs.
So, is Sony really about to turn its back on physical games—or could the humble game disc make one last comeback?