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Recycling experts at BusinessWaste.co.uk are urging video game publishers to reconsider using full-size plastic cases as the industry increasingly replaces physical discs with download codes.
As of 2 September 2026, the extended gameplay preview of Rockstar Games’ Grand Theft Auto VI has led to an estimated 4.86 million pre-orders – and while the game will only be available in a digital format, brick-and-mortar stores will sell boxes containing a download code for the standard edition.
The code-in-box model helps game publishers retain shelf space and appeals to collectors of physical gaming products, but also generates ‘entirely avoidable’ packaging waste.
This has led polypropylene recycling experts at BusinessWaste.co.uk to question the format’s environmental implications. It is currently unclear what form the physical version of Grand Theft Auto VI will take, but BusinessWaste.co.uk warns against the possibility of selling a single sheet of paper or card in a standard plastic game case.
Traditional cases are made from polypropylene, which is durable enough to protect discs through storage, use and resale. These practical purposes become irrelevant once a download code has been redeemed.
Each case must be manufactured, printed, and transported to retailers and consumers – and if it does not contain a disc, the usefulness of a full-size plastic case comes into question.
Furthermore, polypropylene is technically recyclable but isn’t always accepted in household recycling streams. A game case’s printed paper cover and clear outer sleeve also require consumers to separate the components, which reportedly makes the whole pack more likely to end up in general waste.
Especially as extended producer responsibility requirements become increasingly common, BusinessWaste.co.uk considers reducing unnecessary packaging and plastic waste a ‘priority’.
Instead of full-size plastic cases, BusinessWaste.co.uk recommends that video game publishers distribute download codes in lightweight recycled card sleeves. The SteelBook format could combine future recyclability with value for collectors, while digital gift cards could be a more responsible option when purchasing a code for someone else.
Publishers could also clearly state the weight, materials and recyclability of their packaging. BusinessWaste.co.uk hopes this would encourage the gaming industry to eliminate unnecessary materials and help consumers understand what they are buying.
“The bigger concern with such high-profile releases like GTA VI is what happens if code-in-box becomes an industry standard,” said polypropylene recycling expert Mark Hall. “While one game will not transform packaging waste on its own, continuing with this approach across future releases would keep plastic cases in circulation long after discs have largely disappeared.
“For a launch of this size, Rockstar should be transparent about how many game cases are being produced, what materials they contain and what happens to unsold stock. Without that information, it’s difficult to understand the full waste impact.
“This release could be a useful precedent going forward. If a release with this level of demand can move away from traditional packaging designed for physical media, other publishers would have fewer reasons to keep using it.”
BusinessWaste.co.uk emphasizes that the polypropylene cases shouldn’t automatically be written off as immediate waste, since some consumers keep and use them for years. Eliminating physical retail options also prevents retailers from profiting and limits options for consumers.
For example, Sony Interactive Entertainment announced in July that it would discontinue the production of physical game discs from January 2028 – instead selling its video games in digital formats only.
The transition has sparked debate online, with some gaming enthusiasts arguing that the lack of a physical product deprives them of full ownership. Criticisms include Sony’s ability to revoke access to a game at any point, and the loss of traditional trading and reselling experiences.
“I’m all for going digital from [an] environment perspective – less future waste,” wrote one commenter, “but for this to be consumer-friendly, there needs to be significant overhaul of existing licensing arrangements.”
“I think it is a practical move that is better for the environment,” argued Robert Berry on LinkedIn. “So many newer games can barely fit on a disc and nearly all require some sort of virtual patching updates to work upon release anyway. All the money and waste saved by not having to manufacture and ship this stuff is better for everyone.”
Packaging Europe held a similar conversation in a recent edition of the Brief, which explored the environmental implications of cardboard sleeves in the vinyl record revival. Our brand director, Tim Sykes, weighed up the pros and cons of sleeves remaining in a collector’s possession for reuse, but remaining outside the material loop for years to come.
In a survey conducted by the University of Glasgow, only 5% of respondents would definitively consider buying a download link inside a collectable sleeve, while one in four said they would consider it – despite 70% of respondents believing that climate change should take priority over other global issues.
Meanwhile, <a href="https://www.nintendo.com/” rel=”nofollow noopener” target=”_blank”>Nintendo was recently at the centre a different controversy. Consumers argued that the packaging for its Switch 2 console was ‘boring’ and too similar to the previous model – an outcome expected by some to jeopardize the product’s success.
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