Sony Knew Killing Discs Would Be ‘An Enormous PR Issue’ and Had ‘Strictest’ Guidelines to Gag Staff From Commenting on Controversy, Former God of War Dev Claims
Sony announced it will stop launching PlayStation 5 games on physical discs beginning January 2026, shifting the platform entirely to digital distribution. According to God of War Laufey writer Alanah Pearce, Sony was fully aware the decision would generate significant public backlash and controversy.
In anticipation of the announcement’s reception, Sony reportedly implemented what Pearce characterized as the “strictest” social media guidelines PlayStation staff had encountered, designed to prevent employees from publicly discussing or commenting on the disc discontinuation decision. The stringent restrictions underscore Sony’s recognition that eliminating physical media would be a major controversy for the gaming community.
The move represents a significant shift in PS5’s business strategy, effectively eliminating physical media as a platform option two years before the console’s lifecycle is typically expected to end. This decision aligns with industry trends toward digital-only distribution but has broader implications for game preservation and consumer ownership rights—concerns that have intensified across the gaming community in recent years.