In the future of gaming, you'll pay lump sums, and 'own nothing' — and that's exactly what Sony has just kickstarted | Tech Radar

Overview

News, deals, reviews, guides and more on the newest computing gadgets

Start exploring exclusive deals, expert advice and more

Details

Unlock and manage exclusive Techradar member rewards.

Unlock instant access to exclusive member features.

Get full access to premium articles, exclusive features and a growing list of member rewards.

In the future of gaming, you'll pay lump sums, and 'own nothing' — and that's exactly what Sony has just kickstarted

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

Gaming has officially reached its worst state in decades after Play Station announced it will ditch game discs for Play Station consoles starting in 2028.

It comes very shortly after Rockstar Games and its most anticipated game, arguably of all time, GTA 6, opened pre-orders.

Why is that relevant, you may ask? Well, in case you've missed it, there will be no discs available for 'physical' copies of GTA 6. Essentially, buying the highly anticipated game digitally or the physical edition at retailers means you won't have a hard copy of the game, as the latter comes with a code in a box.

Frankly, it's a reach to even suggest that GTA 6 has a physical edition at all, as a code in a game case definitely isn't a physical copy — and that's what makes things even more ridiculous.

Rumors recently suggested that there would never be any disc of GTA 6, and after Play Station's disastrous announcement, it's safe to say that those rumors are accurate. We're not focusing exclusively on GTA 6 here, but if you're wondering what the future of gaming will look like from 2028 and beyond, GTA 6 is the example.

In a huge blow to game ownership, Play Station confirms end of physical games — mere days after GTA 6's disc-less pre-orders

The end of physical game copies is coming, and retailers are not happy

'I got a disc drive for my PS5 Pro just for this' — GTA 6 fans disappointed with the lack of physical edition disc aren't alone, as some retailers have dropped the game from sale completely

The Play Station 'monopoly-like' behaviour begins

To put it simply, that example of GTA 6 means that all of the games purchased from the year 2028 and beyond on Play Station consoles will no longer be owned by consumers, because digital purchases are actually licenses.

That's a huge issue for several reasons. If Play Station wanted to revoke a user's access to a game, it could do so at any time, which we've recently seen with the removal of over 500 movies from user libraries without refunds. If a user loses their account from an unwarranted ban (or even by being hacked), then their digital purchases are effectively gone for good.

With this in mind, Sony's behaviour feels very monopolistic. Of course, gamers can still choose to buy third-party games on other platforms, but since Sony has reportedly tried to make certain games like Crimson Desert a timed exclusive (reported by Forbes), and it's now cutting off another avenue of purchasing games, it comes across as unfriendly to gamers, even if its moves aren't exactly illegal.

Physical copies have always allowed consumers to buy, resell, or borrow games and get their hands on cheaper copies at retailers, whether brand new or second-hand.

The latter is what gives stores like Ce X, Game (in the UK), and Game Stop purpose, letting consumers find games that they didn't want to pay full price for at launch, or buy games for retro systems like the PS1 or PS2, since the libraries from those game consoles are severely limited on PS5 (and some are only available via streaming).

'Everyone is still on physical what is this the 20th century?' — GTA 6 might not be getting a proper disc, but fans were already debating their value over a decade ago for GTA 5

Sony is deleting over 500 movies that people bought from their digital libraries

Analysts say Sony's digital-only plan 'almost certainly guarantees that the PS6 won’t arrive until 2028 at the earliest' and won't have a disc drive

Since the Play Station Store will soon be the only place to buy games on Play Station consoles, consumers will effectively be forced to pay high prices for most titles — including both Play Station exclusives and third-party games that have been available for years already.

$39.99 for GTA 5 in 2026? Really? (Image credit: Sony / Play Station)

The examples are clear to see above; GTA 5 is a 2013 game that has received multiple re-releases from PS3 to P55, and somehow still costs

At Ce X, Game Stop, and multiple other video game retailers, games of their caliber will cost significantly less, without needing a sale or discount to make them affordable for consumers.

That affordability is seemingly what Sony is also trying to eliminate alongside game ownership. Streamlining all Play Station game purchases to its Play Station Store ensures you can't find a cheaper deal for a game anywhere else. If that doesn't sound monopolistic, then I don't know what does.

Sure, there will likely still be cheaper options via video game retailers for 'physical' games with a code in a case. However, the fact that discs will no longer exist for games will instantly discourage gamers from opting for those so-called 'physical' editions, since ownership will be out of the equation.

It's always been more expensive to pay for games digitally than it has been to buy them second-hand — especially with constant price increases and few steep discounts — and once second-hand games are gone in 2028, there will be no going back.

To make matters even worse, Sony is also shutting down the PS3 and PS Vita stores in 2027, leaving PS3 and PS Vita owners with no possible way to purchase any of the games on those two platforms.

Announcing such a drastic move at the same time as informing gamers that discs will cease to exist on Play Station does the exact opposite of instilling faith in consumers that buying digitally is the right move.

When the PS5 or any other future Play Station console eventually becomes a retro console, Sony may very well do the same thing and close the platform's store. Without discs or hard copies of games, you can essentially kiss them goodbye for good.

The warning signs have been there all along; physical media, specifically within the gaming industry, has seen a steady decline over the years, with publishers and game studios of particular games opting for digital releases, and on some occasions, later releasing physical editions.

As Hideo Kojima, a veteran gaming designer, once said, "eventually, even digital data will no longer be owned by individuals on their own initiative". That reality is now here — and unless gamers stand up to Sony's anti-consumer practices now, it'll be too late once 2028 arrives.

Follow Tech Radar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our expert news, reviews, and opinion in your feeds.

Isaiah is a Staff Writer for the Computing channel at Tech Radar. He's spent over two years writing about all things tech, specifically games on PC, consoles, and handhelds. He started off at Game Rant in 2022 after graduating from Birmingham City University in the same year, before writing at PC Guide which included work on deals articles, reviews, and news on PC products such as GPUs, CPUs, monitors, and more. He spends most of his time finding out about the exciting new features of upcoming GPUs, and is passionate about new game releases on PC, hoping that the ports aren't a complete mess.

You must confirm your public display name before commenting

1 Sony's physical game disc elimination may ruin the future of gaming

2 The 'gorgeous' Microsoft Surface Laptop is the perfect productivity machine for work and study — and it's dropped $200 in Best Buy's 4th of July sale

3 New report claims older, more educated tech workers could be most at risk from AI

4 Most people are sitting incorrectly, says ergonomics expert — and it starts with your feet

5 This stylish HP Omni Desk Ryzen 7 desktop just dropped to $790 — and I think it's one of the top tower PC deals around right now

Tech Radar is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

© Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036.

Key Takeaways

• News, deals, reviews, guides and more on the newest computing gadgets
• Start exploring exclusive deals, expert advice and more
• Unlock and manage exclusive Techradar member rewards
• Unlock instant access to exclusive member features
• Get full access to premium articles, exclusive features and a growing list of member rewards