Sony's Reported Plan to End Physical PS5 Discs by 2028 Raises Cost and Access Concerns

Sony's reported plan to halt production of physical game discs starting in 2028 is drawing concern from gamers who say a digital-only future could make the hobby significantly more expensive, especially for lower-income players who rely on second-hand titles to afford new releases.

Discussion in the Reddit gaming community highlights that physical discs support a secondary market where players buy pre-owned games at discounted prices, trade titles with others, or resell games after finishing them. Removing that option, members argue, would strip out an important part of the gaming economy and push more spending toward full-price digital purchases.

A shift toward digital-only gaming would also deepen reliance on dependable internet connections, affordable data packages and steady access to online storefronts. For players in markets with weaker connectivity or costly mobile data, those requirements can be a serious barrier to entry.

According to Decrypt, the impact could be especially acute across several African countries, where the PlayStation Network is officially supported only in South Africa. Gamers in countries such as Nigeria frequently register accounts using foreign locations and buy games through international gift cards or payment cards.

Download sizes add another layer of cost. An expected 212GB download for Grand Theft Auto 6 could cost Nigerian players between $25 and $60 in internet data alone, with download times stretching to nearly 13 hours at median connection speeds.

Taken together, the changes could make gaming less accessible for millions of consumers who already face financial and connectivity hurdles, even as the industry moves further toward all-digital distribution.