Sony has moved to correct widespread reports suggesting PlayStation disc manufacturing was about to be cut by 90 percent. According to Game, which contacted Sony Digital Audio Disc Corporation (DADC) directly, a spokesperson clarified that DADC chief Dietmar Tanzer's comments to an Austrian broadcaster in July actually referred to an overall product volume decline of 10 percent by 2028 — not a decline down to 10 percent of current output.
The confusion followed PlayStation's July announcement that it will stop producing physical discs for new games starting January 2028, though already-released titles and games slated for disc release before that date won't be affected, and reorders will continue afterward. The DADC spokesperson did not clarify what happens beyond 2028 and directed further questions about reorders to PlayStation's PR team, which did not respond to Game's queries.
Unlike Microsoft, which certifies third-party 'Authorised Replicators' to press Xbox discs under its publisher agreements, Sony currently keeps disc manufacturing in-house through DADC. Niko Partners analyst Daniel Ahmad suggested that cutting discs would eliminate the resale market and push spending directly into the PlayStation Store, where margins are better than retail sales.
Shawn Layden, former chairman of SIE Worldwide Studios, described a disc-free PlayStation future as 'depressing, but solvable,' though he said he lacks visibility into any potential licensing arrangements. He compared the situation to cassette tapes, vinyl, and books, formats that outlasted predictions of their demise, and argued that collecting is core to gaming, from finding all the diamonds in Crash Bandicoot to buying steelbooks and multi-disc collector's sets. He said such decisions are often treated as pure financial calculations without weighing brand impact, adding that companies risk losing goodwill even if the math works out. Layden also questioned what ownership means in a digital-only model, noting that consumers have never been able to resell iTunes or PlayStation download libraries.
Boutique publisher iam8bit told Game it would 'absolutely love to find a way forward to continue making physical PlayStation games.' One possible avenue mentioned is Conectiv Supply Chain Solutions, a Memphis-based disc manufacturer formed in 2025 that recently acquired Universal and Warner Bros' home entertainment distributor SDS, though the outlet had not heard back from the company by publication. Separately, CD Projekt Red joint-CEO Michał Nowakowski has said The Witcher 4 will get a physical release even if a disc version isn't possible, and Microsoft's model of licensing disc production to certified external plants was cited as a contrasting approach to Sony's in-house process.
The reporting comes amid broader backlash toward Sony, including chat messages reading 'NO DISC NO BUY' and calls for 'DESTINY 3' spammed during a recent State of Play stream, alongside separate frustration over the end of major support for Destiny 2 and staffing cuts at Bungie.