Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE) has sparked widespread controversy by announcing that it will cease production of physical discs for all new PlayStation games starting in January 2028. In response, a petition opposing the move is gaining significant traction.

On July 1, SIE announced via its official blog that it would discontinue physical disc production for all games released from January 2028 onward. Consequently, all future titles will be available exclusively as digital downloads.

SIE explained that the decision stems from "consumer preferences and the entertainment industry's overall shift from physical discs to digital formats." Simply put, physical disc sales have been in steady decline. Various research firms indicate that physical PlayStation disc sales account for only about 20% of total volume. For SIE, focusing on digital downloads is more cost-effective than maintaining production for a 20% market share.

However, the sudden announcement has triggered intense backlash. Retailers that have long sold physical discs, the non-profit Video Game History Foundation, core gamers, and even industry-leading developers like Hideo Kojima have expressed their disappointment.

Amid this climate, the 'Don't Kill the Disc' petition, launched alongside SIE's announcement, has surpassed 160k signatures in just six days. The petition highlights the risk that platforms offering only digital downloads, such as Steam or the PlayStation Store, allow providers to halt sales or remove games at any time. There is growing concern that the model will shift from true ownership to a form of 'rental,' where access is granted only as long as the platform permits.

The petition also argues that the disappearance of physical discs will negatively impact retailers, distributors, manufacturers, the used-game market, collectors, and game preservation communities, potentially leading to significant job losses.

Whether this petition will lead to actual change remains to be seen. It lacks legal force and serves primarily as a barometer for gamer sentiment. For instance, a petition last May calling for the development of a sequel to the Destiny series failed to yield tangible results.

However, given that the 'Stop Killing Games' movement—which began in 2024 to ensure games remain playable after service termination—recently achieved meaningful legislative progress in the U.S., attention is now focused on how far the 'Don't Kill the Disc' petition might spread.