In early July, Sony disappointed some PlayStation owners with an announcement about the imminent discontinuation of disc production. This was explained by changes in the industry and consumer preferences:
As consumer preferences and the entertainment industry as a whole continue to shift from physical media to digital formats, the production of physical game discs for all new games released on PlayStation consoles will cease starting in January 2028. After this date, new games will only be available digitally — on the PlayStation Store and from retailers.
Against this backdrop, players recalled that Hideo Kojima spoke on this topic in 2021. At that time, he shared concerns that with a complete transition to "digital," people would easily lose their favorite books, music, movies, etc.:
Ultimately, even digital data will no longer be owned by individuals on their own initiative. With any major change or event in the world, in the country, in the government, in ideas or trends, access to it can suddenly be cut off. We will not be able to freely access the movies, books, and music we love. I will be among the deprived. This is what I fear. And it's not greed.
Earlier, Sony confirmed other fears of Hideo Kojima. A few days ago, it became known that Sony will delete more than 500 movies and TV series that users purchased through the PlayStation Store, meaning buyers will lose access to the content.
Some major projects are already released only digitally, for example, Grand Theft Auto VI. According to insiders, Rockstar Games does not plan to release a disc version even after the game's release.