Former PlayStation executive Shawn Layden has called Sony's plan to end physical disc releases kind of sad from a fan perspective. The company announced the shift on July 1, with all releases becoming digital-only from January 2028. The European Union has confirmed it cannot intervene.
Sony's decision affects all PlayStation games from 2028 onward, including those not published by Sony Interactive Entertainment. Layden reflected on the move in comments made earlier this week.
"I think there's probably a whole lot of financial analysis that went behind this decision," Layden said. "But as a fan, just strictly as a fan, it just makes me kind of sad."
Layden noted he buys digital copies for games like Call of Duty but prefers physical editions for titles such as God of War to keep the box and disc in his collection. A physical version of God of War Laufey is still expected before the cutoff.
The EU commissioner for consumer protection stated that companies remain free to choose how they offer games under commercial freedoms. A petition opposing the change has collected more than 286,000 signatures.
