PlayStation has recently found itself at the center of heated debate across the gaming industry, largely because of decisions that have not gone down well with its audience.
The biggest controversy surrounds the company’s apparent push toward a fully digital future, with 2028 reportedly being viewed as a key milestone when physical discs could begin disappearing altogether.
While no one disputes that digital purchases have steadily become the dominant format, new analytical data suggests that abandoning physical releases entirely may be premature.
Players in many regions still place significant value on owning a physical copy of a game, something that has also been reflected in the sales performance of major recent releases such as Assassin’s Creed Shadows and Resident Evil Requiem.
Despite claims that the physical games market is fading away, sales figures tied to major PlayStation releases tell a different story.
Hundreds of Millions in Revenue Still Come From Discs
Recent research published by analytics firm Alinea Analytics suggests that physical editions continue to account for a healthy and highly profitable share of revenue generated by major PlayStation titles.
One of the clearest examples is Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, which reportedly generated around $1.2 billion in total revenue, with roughly 35% of that amount coming from physical retail sales.
A similar trend can be seen across other major PlayStation 5 releases.
The critically acclaimed Ghost of Yotei reportedly generated around $400 million in revenue, with close to 40% coming from physical copies.
Other major releases have also recorded a significant share of disc-based sales, including GOTY winner Astro Bot, Stellar Blade, and Death Stranding 2: On the Beach.
Why Are Players Reacting So Strongly?
These figures suggest that demand for physical games is far from insignificant.
Physical editions remain a major source of revenue and continue to contribute substantial amounts of money toward the success of blockbuster releases.
That is exactly why the possibility of physical media disappearing by 2028 has caused such a strong backlash among long-time PlayStation users.
For many players, the issue is not simply nostalgia for game boxes and discs. It is also about consumer choice, ownership, resale, collecting, and maintaining access to purchased content without relying entirely on digital storefronts.
Publishers naturally have strong incentives to move toward digital distribution, including higher margins, lower manufacturing costs, and greater control over the sales ecosystem.
However, an aggressive shift away from physical media could also risk damaging trust among PlayStation’s most loyal customers.
The numbers indicate that millions of players still want physical copies of their games, leaving one major question unanswered: will continued consumer pressure and the substantial revenue generated by discs be enough to make PlayStation reconsider its long-term strategy?
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