Sony to Accept More Orders for Physical Games After 2028, Executive Clarifies Production Misunderstanding Regarding Austrian Factory

The anticipated decline of physical media in the video game industry may not be as drastic as once feared, at least for the next several years. Although Sony has designated 2028 as the cutoff year for producing physical copies of new PlayStation titles, this doesn’t mean games released before that date will be ignored.

A recent report has shed light on a critical misinterpretation regarding disc production figures at Sony’s manufacturing facility in Thalgau, Austria and the company’s willingness to fulfill orders for physical copies of all games that launch prior to 2028.

Sony Executive Clarifies Grave Misunderstanding Regarding End of Physical Media

In a statement reported by Brian Crecente of Game, a significant error regarding physical disc production that surfaced in July was addressed.

Earlier reports had suggested that production of CDs, DVDs, Blu-rays, and other optical media at the Austrian plant, the Sony Digital Audio Disc Corporation (Sony DADC), would plummet by 90%.

Sony DADC chief Dietmar Tanzer, however, clarified the misunderstanding:

“To clarify and avoid any misleading information: in that statement Dietmar anticipated an overall product volume decline by 10%, not a decline down to 10%.”

This means that disc production will only be reduced by 10%, and the factory will operate at 90% of its capacity.

Sony’s Factory Will Continue Manufacturing Physical Copes for PlayStation After 2028 But There’s a Caveat

The Sony DADC representative reiterated that no new physical copies will be manufactured for games released after January 2028.

Nonetheless, the reality remains more accommodating for current and near-future titles. The Thalgau plant has confirmed that additional orders and production runs for PlayStation discs will remain available beyond that date.

This ensures that publishers with games already on the market or those planning releases in 2027 can still request supplementary physical copies from the Sony DADC facility after the 2028 cutoff, with supply guaranteed.

As such, the industry can expect a gradual transition toward digital distribution rather than an abrupt halt.

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