Sony's decision to cease production of physical PlayStation discs from January 2028 has sparked a sharp reaction from British video game retailers. The Entertainment Retailers Association (ERA), representing entertainment retail interests, stated that this move would harm both stores and players themselves.
ERA CEO Kim Bayley called Sony's decision "the triumph of corporate convenience over consumer choice." According to her, millions of players still prefer to buy games on physical media, as a disc provides true ownership. It can be passed on to relatives, resold, added to a collection, or kept for many years, whereas a digital license often does not offer such opportunities.
Bayley also referred to consumer research data, according to which physical editions remain in demand among audiences under 25. Last year, the boxed game market in the UK was estimated at approximately £300 million, which, according to ERA, indicates a large and loyal customer base.
The association emphasized that physical games continue to attract people to stores and provide additional value to customers through the ability to gift, collect, and resell games. ERA believes that digital distribution should complement physical editions, not completely replace them.
Retail representatives pay particular attention to the used games market. Stores can accept used copies from players and then sell them at a reduced price without additional deductions to platform owners. After the cessation of new disc releases, this segment of the market for future releases will effectively disappear. Although retailers will still be able to sell digital activation keys — this approach, for example, will be used for Grand Theft Auto VI in November — this will not be a full replacement for the secondary market.