Chinese publisher Astrolabe Games announced the launch of the AGO Manifesto initiative, under which it pledged to release physical versions for PlayStation 5 of all its future games that meet the established criteria. The decision was a reaction to Sony's recent announcement of discontinuing physical disc support for PlayStation, which is expected to take effect in 2028.
In a statement released on July 10, the company announced that it would undertake the production and distribution of boxed editions for all unreleased projects approved for PS5 before June 1, 2027. The release of physical copies will begin in the second half of 2027.
The publisher guarantees that for each eligible game, at least a minimum print run will be produced and sold in at least one of the regions – North America, Europe/Middle East/Africa (EMEA), or Asia. However, the company notes that due to the specifics of regional distribution and market demand, games may not appear in all countries.
The name of the AGO initiative is associated with two meanings: Astrolabe Games' Chinese nickname – "a-gou" (阿狗, "puppy") – and the English expression "give something a go," symbolizing the company's desire to preserve the physical editions market.
At the same time, Astrolabe Games emphasizes that the initiative is a voluntary commitment. If the release of physical versions proves impossible due to reasons beyond the publisher's control, no compensation will be provided to buyers. Possible obstacles include changes in platform owners' policies, lack of production capacity from distribution partners, or developers' refusal to release a PS5 version.
Currently, three projects have already been included in the program: Gurei, Fall Up, and OMEGA PHENEX COMMENCED PROJECT SIX. Their physical editions are scheduled for the fourth quarter of 2026, the first half of 2027, and the second half of 2027, respectively. The list will be expanded as new games meeting the program's requirements become available.