Since this is a translation of an overseas article, there may be mistranslations.
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PlayStation's discontinuation of game discs will have wider repercussions
With Sony's decision to stop releasing PlayStation games on disc, one of the remaining two optical disc production facilities is expected to be converted for other uses.
Earlier this week, PlayStation announced that it will discontinue releasing new games on disc starting in January 2028, and Microsoft's Xbox is expected to follow suit.
The announcement has sparked widespread backlash. Some users are hoping Sony will reverse its decision, but the decision appears unlikely to be reversed as it has already spread throughout the entire supply chain.
Conversion of optical disc plant
Sony DADC (Digital Audio Disc Corporation) currently operates two optical disc production plants after shutting down the last factory in Terre Haute, Indiana, USA, which was its largest ever operation in 2022.
Sony's main production hub is located in Tlgau, Austria, where it produces 600,000 discs per day, including those for PlayStation. However, following PlayStation's decision, the plant will be converted into a microlens production facility, with Sony investing €30 million to complete the conversion by next year. Microlenses are manufactured on top of optical discs.
Dietmar Thanner, CEO of Sony DADC, said in an interview with ORF Salzburg:
"Currently, PlayStation accounts for about 50% of our production volume, with about 20% being new orders. We are talking about a scale corresponding to about 10% of the total volume in 2028."
Sony DADC also operates an optical disc plant in Daga, Japan, but reduced its workforce by 40% in 2024 and discontinued all forms of recordable optical media production in January 2025.
Wider repercussions
PlayStation and Xbox are pushing for a fully digital future for games, and this change is expected to impact the entire gaming industry over the next few years. This will also shake the foundations of retail distributors such as GameStop.
While Sony is significantly scaling down its optical disc business, other factories are still manufacturing and pressing optical discs, so Blu-ray movies appear to be safe for the foreseeable future.
Nevertheless, this could be another blow to physical media. LG recently discontinued all UHD Blu-ray and Blu-ray player production following Samsung's decision in 2019 and Oppo's decision in 2018. This raises the inevitable question: how much longer will Sony's UHD Blu-ray players survive?
▶ Source: https://www.flatpanelshd.com/news.php?subaction=showfull&id=1783082529
