Sony announced that it will stop producing new PlayStation physical game discs in January 2028, a news that was heavily criticized by players around the world. But some analysts jumped out and said that this is actually the players' "self-inflicted consequences."
In a recent interview with the Financial Times, Bernstein analyst Robin Zhu said that players have essentially pushed Sony to reach this conclusion themselves because they have already shifted to a more digital consumption method, but it is certain that Sony's huge investment over the years has definitely nourished, accelerated and encouraged this process.
Robin said: "If players and collectors buy more physical games, Sony will not see the digital version sales data to support this decision. The sales of digital games can bring almost 100% additional profits. And the physical packaging, shipping costs and retailer profits may add up to more than 20% of the list price."
Data shows that the compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of physical game sales is -9.26%, which means that players have purchased tens of millions fewer games in the past nine years. In fiscal year 2017, Sony's physical game shipments were 168 million units; by fiscal year 2025, this had plummeted to only 70 million units. Consumer activity and behavior often determine what companies do. The above trends ultimately reflect the PlayStation ecosystem's shift toward digital orientation over the years. Not only that, Sony and its partners have also contributed to this shift through various initiatives, including deep discounts in the PlayStation Store, the convenience of accessing games and content without going out, and cultivating users to adapt to new ways of interaction through subscriptions, micro-transactions and other digital models.