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In a move that has once again sparked backlash within the gaming community, Sony now seems to be placing advisory stickers on PlayStation 5 consoles, warning players that physical games will soon be discontinued.
The death of physical media draws ever closer, with Sony making the decision to cease production of physical game discs starting January 2028. It’s not a choice the company seems to be backing down on, either, based on stickers that have reportedly begun appearing on the boxes of PlayStation 5 consoles.
One such sticker was spotted on the back of a PS5 box and shared to social media on August 5, with a message that reads, “Important Notice: From Jan. 2028, newly released games on PlayStation will be available for purchase on PlayStation Store and at retailers in digital format only. Discs released before Jan. 2028 can continue to be played on this console.”
⚠️ Ya están empezando a llegar remesas de consolas PS5 a las tiendas con este mensaje en la caja:
AVISO IMPORTANTE: A partir de enero de 2028, los nuevos lanzamientos de juegos para PlayStation estarán disponibles para su compra en PlayStation Store y a través de minoristas… pic.twitter.com/E7dpJSnFb2— Behind the Games (@BehindTGames) August 5, 2026
While it’s unclear if this was a Digital or Disc Edition of the PlayStation 5, it doesn’t seem like it’s limited to either, as a different post from a user on BlueSky showed that they received the exact same message when purchasing a disc drive for their Digital PlayStation 5 online.
These warnings aren’t sitting well with players, adding more fuel to the ongoing debate surrounding discs going the way of the Dodo.
“Oh, they’re really not reversing this,” one commenter wrote on ResetEra.
“Sony already had everything perfectly planned out, but that shouldn’t silence the community; it will speak with its wallet in the next generation,” another said on X.
“If this doesn’t tell you there is zero percent chance of a reversal, nothing will,” yet another mourned on Bluesky.
It doesn’t seem like these stickers or warnings have made their way everywhere just yet, as I went to my local BestBuy and asked to see boxes for both Disc and Digital PS5 consoles, as well as the separate disc drive. All three did not have any such sticker, and the employee who brought them to me (bless his heart) said he hadn’t seen any yet.
If true, this is just another sign that Sony isn’t showing any signs of stopping its plans to phase out physical game discs. Its Chief Financial Officer, Lin Tao, effectively erased all doubts about its intent to pursue an all-digital future during an investor-focused Q&A in late July.
“When we think about the future — and we put in a lot of thought and time, and we cautiously considered this, and we came to this conclusion, and we’re going to cautiously move this forward,” she said.
Tao also said that Sony is keenly aware of the heightened emotions this transition has sparked, saying the company is working toward finding a way to “engage the gamers” in a “future digital ecosystem.”
Xbox, on the other hand, seems to be prioritizing a happy medium of sorts, reportedly working on ways for players to digitize their physical game libraries as it gears up for its next console, Project Helix — though whether or not it will have a disc drive remains to be seen.
Virginia (she/her) is IGN’s News Editor. With ten years of experience reporting on games and entertainment, she’s got a storied background in the fighting game community, influencer news, and viral online trends. Find her on Twitter at@TheeMissGlaze.
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