EU Lacks Authority to Force PlayStation to Keep Physical Games
▼ Summary
– Sony announced it will stop producing physical Blu-ray discs for new games starting in 2028, moving toward an all-digital future.
– EU Commissioner Michael McGrath stated that companies are free to offer games as they choose, as long as they comply with consumer rights laws.
– The EU cannot legally stop Sony from ending physical game production, as it falls under commercial and contractual freedoms.
– The EU declined to create laws forcing game publishers to maintain servers or preserve games after online services end.
– The EU plans to work with the game industry to develop a voluntary code of conduct for video game preservation instead of regulations.
If you were banking on the European Union stepping in to block Sony’s move away from physical game discs, it’s time to recalibrate your expectations. An EU commissioner has made it clear that companies retain the commercial freedom to distribute games as they see fit, as long as they stay within legal boundaries.
Sony recently confirmed that starting in 2028, it will halt production of new physical Blu-ray discs for video games. Though existing physical PlayStation titles will remain available for some time, the company is clearly steering toward a fully digital future, regardless of pushback from fans or public figures. Some consumers had hoped the EU, which previously compelled Apple to alter certain global practices, would intervene. But according to Michael McGrath, the EU Commissioner for Democracy, Justice, the Rule of Law and Consumer Protection, that’s unlikely.
Speaking to reporters at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, McGrath addressed Sony’s disc production phase-out. As the Irish Mirror first reported, his response was blunt: the EU lacks the authority to force a reversal.
“It does come down to commercial and contractual freedoms,” McGrath explained. “And companies are free to offer games and services in the manner that they see fit, provided that consumer rights are fully protected in line with national and EU law.”
McGrath also touched on the Stop Killing Games movement, noting that the EU Commission recently stated it cannot legislate to require game publishers to maintain servers or guarantee offline playability after online services end. Instead, the Commission plans to collaborate with industry stakeholders to develop a voluntary code of conduct for video game preservation.
For now, Sony’s trajectory toward an all-digital ecosystem appears undisturbed by regulatory hurdles.
(Source: Kotaku)
