Sony’s decision to sunset physical discs in 2028 has quickly become one of the most controversial decisions the company has ever made since entering the console market with the first PlayStation. The backlash from gamers has been significant, so much so that the company officially acknowledged it had heard their voices, but it seems no form of protest may be enough to make the Japanese company backtrack, judging from a new warning sticker found on the box of new PlayStation 5 units.
“IMPORTANT NOTICE: Starting in January 2028, new PlayStation game releases will be available for purchase on PlayStation Store and through retailers exclusively in digital format. Game discs released before January 2028 will continue to be compatible with this console,” the sticker reads as reported by Behind the Games on X.
⚠️ Ya están empezando a llegar remesas de consolas PS5 a las tiendas con este mensaje en la caja:
AVISO IMPORTANTE: A partir de enero de 2028, los nuevos lanzamientos de juegos para PlayStation estarán disponibles para su compra en PlayStation Store y a través de minoristas… pic.twitter.com/E7dpJSnFb2
— Behind the Games (@BehindTGames) August 5, 2026
Considering the time needed to prepare this warning sticker, it’s clear that Sony has planned to sunset discs in 2028 for a long time. This makes it even more baffling how the company did not warn partners beforehand, potentially straining PlayStation business relationships ahead of the PlayStation 6 launch, which, in light of this decision, will certainly launch without a disc drive.
Although the death of discs seems to be written in stone, gamers are rightly continuing their protests, even planning a consumer-led PlayStation blackout from August 23 to August 30 organized by groups like DoesItPlay, with no PlayStation Network logins and no purchases from the PlayStation Store. These significant forms of protest are justified, and not only for the loss of the physical games culture that has defined gaming since its inception, but also for game preservation.
Earlier this week, a dedicated developer named Yuvi had to put together a 90-GPU server farm to recover and preserve a lost Final Fantasy VII mobile spin-off, Dirge of Cerberus: Lost Episode -Final Fantasy VII-. This costly endeavor could be a small glimpse into a sad future where servers go offline, and games could be lost forever.
About the author: Francesco De Meo has been covering video games and technology since 2012, starting his career at small outlets like Gamersyndrome and GeekSnack. After joining Wccftech gaming section in 2015, he quickly expanded his video gaming coverage with in-depth reporting, interviews with iconic industry figures such as Grasshopper Manufacture founder and No More Heroes creator Goichi “Suda51” Suda, Resident Evil series creator Shinji Mikami, Team NINJA’s president and Nioh series director Fumihiko Yasuda, and Silent Hill creator Keiichiro Toyama, reviews and on-the-ground coverage of major industry events such as Gamescom and E3. When he’s not reporting or reviewing, Francesco can be found playing the genres he loves most, spending time with his six cats, reading, writing music, playing guitar and drumming for his progressive rock band.
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