Grand Theft Auto 6 is probably the most anticipated recreation of the yr (and maybe of the last decade, given the agonizing wait for the reason that franchise’s final entry in 2013). However earlier this week, rumors began swirling that Rockstar Video games would launch the title by way of digital obtain solely, with bodily copies of Grand Theft Auto 6 being diminished to a field with a obtain code inside quite than a recreation disc.
Then, on July 1, Sony dealt an much more devastating blow to lovers of bodily media: Beginning in 2028, new video games on PlayStation consoles will solely be launched digitally, with all bodily disc manufacturing being discontinued.
Rockstar and Sony’s choices recommend that recreation lovers are now not thinking about bodily discs—however the swift backlash on social media tells a distinct story.
‘A pure path’: Why Sony nixed the disc
In a submit on the official PlayStation weblog, Sony defined why it’s taking away discs.
“This can be a pure path for Sony Interactive Leisure to adapt to client traits as the final desire for digital media considerably outpaces bodily discs,” reads the submit. “This transition will allow us to align extra intently with how most of our neighborhood prefers to entry and play video games immediately.”
Within the fourth quarter of fiscal yr 2025, Sony reported that 85% of full-game software program gross sales on the PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 have been digital downloads, with simply 15% of gross sales being bodily copies.
“We’ll proceed to prioritize our assets to drive innovation in how gamers can entry video games and supply selections as to the place gamers favor to buy new video games, whether or not that’s at retailers or PlayStation Retailer,” the weblog submit continued. “We stay dedicated to delivering a world-class gaming expertise to our followers and we thanks in your continued assist.”
Rockstar, in the meantime, has mentioned by way of buyer assist that Grand Theft Auto 6 will finally get a bodily launch, although not when the sport comes out on November 19. “It is possible for you to to amass a bodily copy throughout the next months,” reads a buyer assist e-mail circulating on social media.
The bodily media revival
Although Sony’s announcement claims that “client preferences and the broader leisure trade proceed to shift away from bodily discs to digital,” on-line reactions and traits throughout leisure inform a distinct story.
Outrage from avid gamers erupted throughout social media, with avid gamers involved in regards to the lack of bodily possession over video games. “We, the shoppers, successfully personal nothing,” one user wrote in response to Sony’s announcement. “We simply lease video games from you now, and you may revoke or change that rental settlement everytime you need.”
One other person frightened that conserving video video games out of bodily shops would create a monopoly and drive up digital costs. “Individuals will now not have choices after 2028 and can HAVE to go on to Sony’s digital storefront and pay no matter PlayStation says,” they wrote. “Not solely is their greed eliminating precise recreation possession, nevertheless it’s taking away different choices.”
Comic and former Day by day Present host Trevor Noah even chimed in. “If the media we purchase is just digital, it may be taken away from us at a second’s discover with no recourse,” he wrote on social media. “Think about that, sooner or later your whole library of video games could possibly be deleted in a single day as a result of technically you don’t personal it.”
Given the net outcry, video video games could possibly be the following main participant within the bodily media revival. It’s a pattern that’s already come to fruition within the music trade, with vinyl report gross sales surpassing $1 billion in 2025 for the primary time ever, marking the nineteenth consecutive yr of progress for the vinyl enterprise.
And on the earth of TV and flicks, followers have been pissed off by sequence being faraway from streaming platforms with out ever getting a digital launch, which means they’re primarily inaccessible via reliable means. That’s led to a renewed curiosity in DVDs: 2025 noticed a years-long pattern begin to reverse, with bodily gross sales declining simply 9% in comparison with drops of 20% in 2023 and 2024. In the meantime, boutique Blu-Ray firms like Criterion have reported “vital year-over-year will increase” in gross sales, as told to The LA Times.
Thus far, video video games have lagged within the bodily revival relative to different media—however PlayStation’s announcement might have helped the gaming trade be a part of the pattern. “Take this as an indication to construct up a bodily library once more guys,” one user advised in a viral post. “That goes for video games, books, motion pictures and music. We actually don’t personal something anymore. These subscriptions are piling up. I’m sick of it.”
