Sony has announced plans to discontinue the production of physical game discs for its PlayStation consoles, a shift toward digital-only distribution that will take effect in 2028. The decision has drawn concern from preservationists who worry about the long-term survival of video game history.
John Hardie, the director of the National Videogame Museum in Frisco, described the move as primarily driven by profit motives. He noted that the industry has been trending in this direction for several years, but the finality of removing physical media presents significant risks for historical records.
Hardie stated that the lack of physical copies means games could disappear entirely from history once they are removed from digital storefronts or servers. He explained that without a tangible disc to preserve, the survival of a title depends entirely on whether publishers choose to maintain their code.
"On the preservation side, it's a real problem we've been dealing with for years," Hardie said. "Without any physical media, once the game goes away, it's gone and only preserved on someone's console."
He emphasized that museums and preservation groups are now reliant on the goodwill of publishers to ensure their archives remain accessible. "The preservationists and museums are at the mercy of the publishers in hoping they'll do the right thing and care for their code," he added.