This Isn’t The First Time PlayStation (And Others) Tried To Kill Used Games
Sony has announced it will end PlayStation disc production by 2028, accelerating the industry’s shift toward all-digital gaming. This decision represents the culmination of over a decade of industry trends aimed at phasing out physical media and, with it, the used-games market.
The move recalls efforts by major publishers—including EA, Ubisoft, and PlayStation—during the late 2000s and early 2010s to undermine the secondhand game trade. Those publishers employed online authentication systems and other mechanisms designed to deter players from buying used copies, sparking public backlash before eventually fading from discourse. Sony’s current strategy appears to be the logical endgame of this prolonged push toward digital-only distribution.
By eliminating disc production, Sony removes a primary channel through which players have traditionally traded used games—a practice publishers have long viewed as revenue-cannibalizing. The transition consolidates control over game distribution, pricing, and lifecycle, benefiting the platform holder and publishers while raising consumer concerns about ownership, choice, and game preservation. The shift also reflects broader industry momentum toward digital storefronts, subscription services, and cloud gaming. However, it underscores ongoing tensions between publisher monetization goals and consumer rights regarding game preservation and perpetual access to purchased titles.