PlayStation

Speaking to my own Xbox hardware sources, I was told that it's less about the discs themselves and more about the supply chain around optical disc drives collapsing. Factories and assembly lines previously oriented around making optical disc drives are moving towards other, more lucrative and more scalable industries, such as camera lenses and the like. Demand for optical disc drives revolves entirely around Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5 right now, with laptops, Blu-Ray devices, and other formats essentially phasing out the tech. Consumers opted overwhelming for digital-only in the last few

Sony pointed to its PlayStation 'Terms' language that buying a digital game on the PlayStation Network only grants you a "limited" license to play the game. The notice reminded players that digital purchases do not transfer ownership but instead provide that limited license.

Sony confirmed that January 2028 will be the last time it makes physical games for the PlayStation 5. The announcement also indicates Sony's gaming future, including the upcoming PlayStation 6, will be entirely digital.

Under Sony's terms, buying a digital PlayStation game grants you a "limited" license to play rather than ownership of the software, whereas physical discs carry a more traditional non-commercial license. A digital purchase depends on your online account and PlayStation ecosystem for access with no guaranteed continued access, while physical discs do not require that online account to play and are less dependent on the platform holder for preservation.