Sony Acknowledges Fan Anger Over Disc Removal But Says Business Won’t Suffer
▼ Summary
– Sony confirmed it will proceed with ending physical disc production from January 2028, despite online backlash, citing overall content digitalization as the main reason.
– CFO Lin Tao acknowledged community emotions but stated the decision was carefully considered and will be “cautiously moved forward.”
– Sony reported no current business impact from the backlash, as most content sales are already digital, and expects no negative effect from disc discontinuation.
– Game publishers can still ship boxes with digital codes, though this may not satisfy many gamers; retailer relations were addressed in the call.
– PS5 shipments reached 95.3 million units by June 30, 2026, with quarterly shipments down 0.9 million year-over-year, while PSN MAUs rose to 125 million, and Sony secured sufficient memory supply for FY2026.
Sony’s latest quarterly earnings call gave PlayStation fans a clear answer on the disc removal controversy, and it is not the one many were hoping for. Despite widespread petitions and coordinated social media campaigns, the company is holding firm on its decision to phase out physical media starting in January 2028.
During the Q1 FY 2026 earnings call, Sony CFO Lin Tao acknowledged the intense backlash but made it clear that the transition to a fully digital ecosystem remains the plan. As reported by Kotaku, Tao framed the move as part of a broader industry shift, noting that the digitalization of content is not unique to gaming.
“We have received various opinions, and people have strong views, and we understand that the community has put forth those views to us,” Tao said. She added that games are tied to fond memories for many players and that Sony recognizes the emotional connection. Still, the company intends to “cautiously move this forward.”
When asked whether the backlash had hurt PlayStation’s bottom line, Tao responded with a firm no, at least for now. She pointed out that a significant portion of content sales is already digital, which means the discontinuation of discs is unlikely to create a negative financial impact. “We are not seeing any impact on our business,” she stated.
The executive also addressed concerns about retail partnerships. Tao explained that publishers will still be able to ship physical boxes, though these will contain digital codes rather than discs. For many gamers, that distinction is unlikely to soften the blow, and it remains to be seen whether retailers will embrace the arrangement.
The earnings report itself offered a mixed picture. PS5 shipments reached 95.3 million units as of June 30, 2026, with 1.6 million consoles moved in the quarter. That figure is down 0.9 million units compared to the same period last year, reinforcing the ongoing decline in hardware sales. On the software side, 66.1 million games were sold across PS5 and PS4, while PSN’s monthly active user base climbed to 125 million, a gain of 2 million year-over-year.
Sony also confirmed it has secured enough memory supply to support its PS5 sales targets and expects hardware profitability for FY2026 to remain on par with the previous fiscal year.
(Source: Wccftech)
