In a nutshell

• Sony reportedly confirms developers can still produce physical discs, but only for older PlayStation titles.
• New games will be digital‑only releases starting January 2028.
• Policy aims to support legacy content while transitioning to a disc‑free future.

After the bombshell announcement that Sony PlayStation will end physical disc production starting in January 2028, the company has reportedly clarified its stance to developers, reassuring them that they will still be able to produce physical discs for older PlayStation titles.

Sony Clarifies Disc-free Stance

According to a report from Game File, which apparently saw a message sent to developers and publishers via its private developer portal, Sony has said that developers and publishers “will still be able to place re-orders for existing PlayStation disc games.”

Emphasis on existing, as this means that the game should have already been released before the January 2028 deadline.

Additionally, the disc-ordering process will change, and Sony has said it will “provide publishers with the opportunity to release new games at retail using digital codes,” likely similar to what Grand Theft Auto VI did with its code-in-a-box.

A Digital Future

This seems designed to preserve access to legacy content while streamlining future releases into a digital‑only ecosystem. While new titles will launch exclusively via the PlayStation Store and digital retailers, developers can continue pressing discs for back‑catalog games.

While Sony’s announcement clearly did not go down well with many people, the company has not yet issued a new statement to backtrack its ambitions of a digital-only future.