Digital is only bad when it's the only option

Dear representatives of Sony Interactive Entertainment,

We are writing to you on behalf of the TechPlay community — our team, players, collectors, and all long-time users of Sony's PlayStation platform — regarding the recent announcement that, starting in 2028, the production of physical copies of new games will be completely discontinued, and that going forward, the only way to obtain games will be exclusively in digital format.

We want to emphasize that we understand your decision and that it follows a broader trend in this industry, and that digital sales in today's world make up the vast majority of your revenue related to game sales. Our goal is not to dispute your right to follow market trends; rather, what we are asking for is that physical copies remain available as an option for those who want them — in other words, simply that they remain a parallel form of distribution alongside the digital offering.

We firmly believe that this decision, if it remains unchanged, carries consequences on several levels in the long run, and we want to explain why.

Why physical copies still matter

Genuine ownership of a purchased game

Although this hasn't been the practice for some time now, at least for single-player games it should hold true that if we buy a physical item — a disc, in this case — we are buying something that physically belongs to us, not a license that can be revoked, altered, or shut down at the discretion of the publisher or platform. It should be noted that this is one of the ways in which the popularity of modern consoles was built. If nothing else, for this reason alone, players deserve to be treated a little better and to at least have that choice.

Collecting

For many members of this community, as well as many others, buying physical copies isn't just a way to play games — it's also an object of sentimental and collectible value. An empty box with a code for the game holds no value at all; what has value are the manual, the map, the disc, and occasionally some unique bonus item for a specific edition or game. This culture of collecting has existed for decades and is part of the identity of the gaming community, and discontinuing it would irreversibly impoverish that culture.

Preserving gaming history

It should be noted that physical media, strictly speaking from a historical standpoint, are one of the more reliable ways of preserving software compared to digital servers, which depend entirely on whether the company that issues them continues to exist and for how long it chooses to keep its services running. Discontinuing physical copies risks the loss of parts of gaming history.

Lending, gifting, and trading games

Generations of gamers grew up buying discs, sharing them with family and friends, selling them, and buying new ones. The ability to give someone a tangible gift in physical form for a birthday is part of a social experience that digital distribution cannot deliver on the same level. Thousands of pixels on a screen don't carry the same weight as holding a physical, tangible object in your hands, especially when that gift is meant for younger generations who are just entering the world of the gaming industry.

The secondhand market and more affordable prices

Gaming is an industry of connection, closeness, and experiencing things in a different way, which should be accessible to everyone who wants it. Used games have been, for many, the only or the most affordable ticket into gaming — especially for younger people and those with limited budgets. We shouldn't forget the businesses of smaller, local stores that have been part of the community for decades and that have, if nothing else, hundreds of satisfied regular customers. Discontinuing the production of physical discs cuts off the supply to this market, which will inevitably cause it to disappear over time — with direct consequences for small businesses and for the affordability of games in general.

Our appeal

Once again, we want to emphasize that we are not asking Sony to abandon digital distribution, nor to slow it down in any way. What we are asking is simply that physical copies remain an option for those who want them — just as has been the case until now. Discontinuing physical copies offers no improvement in service, nor any quality-of-life change; it represents nothing but a loss of choice, which we believe will not be good for either side in the long run.

We call on Sony to:

1. 1.Reconsider withdrawing or postponing the decision to fully discontinue the production of physical discs.
2. 2.Give publishers the choice to continue releasing physical editions of titles for which there is market interest, instead of a uniform digital-only rule for all.
3. 3.Openly communicate with the community about plans for the long-term support of already-purchased physical and digital titles.

Physical copies don't need to make up the majority of the market for their preservation to matter a great deal. As we said, we are asking for the option to choose, not an obligation to choose only one option.

Thank you for your attention, and we hope for an open dialogue.