Sony repurposes PlayStation disc factory for new use
▼ Summary
– Sony is planning to phase out disc production; its Thalgau plant, which currently makes 600,000 discs daily (half for PlayStation), will produce only 10% of that volume by 2028.
– The plant’s 300 employees will be retrained to work on optical microlenses instead of discs.
– The Thalgau facility is Sony’s disc-making division headquarters and appears to be its only remaining wholly owned disc manufacturing plant.
The days of physical game discs are numbered, and Sony is already planning for a future without them. According to a report from Austria, the company’s disc manufacturing arm is pivoting away from producing PlayStation game discs in favor of a completely different technology.
Dietmar Tanzer, president of Sony DADC, told ORF Salzburg that the Thalgau plant currently churns out 600,000 discs daily, with half of that volume dedicated to PlayStation games. However, the company expects that number to plummet to just 10 percent of current output by 2028. Rather than shutting down the facility entirely, Sony plans to retrain all 300 employees to manufacture optical microlenses instead.
Thalgau is not just any disc plant; it serves as the global headquarters for Sony’s disc-making division and appears to be the company’s last remaining wholly owned disc manufacturing facility. This transition signals a major strategic shift as the industry moves further away from physical media. By repurposing the factory and workforce, Sony is ensuring that its manufacturing capabilities remain relevant even as the demand for game discs dries up.
(Source: The Verge)
