- The Entertainment Retailers Association has criticized Sony’s decision to kill physical discs
- UK trade body says digital games “should complement physical formats, not replace them”
- ERA Says: “Removing Discs Doesn’t Represent Progress – It Simply Removes Choice”
The British trade body, the Entertainment Retailers Association (ERA), has criticized Sony’s decision to end production of physical PlayStation discs.
The games company has received overwhelming backlash since it announced its plan to phase out physical discs in 2028, and now, as reported by The Game Business, ERA, which represents most major video game retailers in the UK, including Amazon, Game, Sainsbury’s and HMV, has condemned the plan, calling it “a triumph of corporate convenience over consumer choice.”
“Each year, millions of gamers still choose to buy physical copies because they value genuine ownership,” CEO Kim Bayley said in a statement. “A disc can be shared with the family, traded in, collected, preserved and, most importantly, still played years from now. A download license often provides none of these freedoms.”
Per NielsenIQ and market research firm GfK, The Game Business reports that 45 percent of all physical games sold in the UK in 2025 were for PS4 or PS5, representing almost half of all physical game revenue in that period, with the majority of sales being made through the mail as opposed to in-store collection on the day of release.
The ERA also said that 25 per cent of gamers under 25 use discs and the total UK disc-based games market was estimated to be over £300m by 2025, “demonstrating that there remains a significant and engaged audience for box games.”
“Retailers see this demand every day,” Bayley said. “Physical games continue to bring people into stores and provide real value to consumers through gifting, collecting and reselling. The industry should embrace every legitimate way consumers want to buy games, not narrow their choices.”
The CEO continued: “Digital distribution has transformed gaming and is hugely popular, but it should complement physical formats, not replace them.
“Consumers deserve the freedom to choose how they buy their entertainment. Removing discs doesn’t represent progress – it simply removes choice. It’s bad for gamers, bad for retailers and ultimately bad for the long-term health and preservation of our gaming industry.”
Since the announcement earlier this month, Sony has remained silent on the backlash. Many fans have banded together to urge the company to reverse its decision, including signing a petition that now has over 310,000 signatures.
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