‘Removing discs doesn’t represent progress – it simply removes choice’ — The Entertainment Retailers Association denounces Sony’s decision to kill physical discs
- The Entertainment Retailers Association has slammed Sony’s decision to kill physical discs
- The UK trade organization says digital games “should complement physical formats, not replace them”
- The ERA says, “Removing discs doesn’t represent progress – it simply removes choice”
UK trade organization, Entertainment Retailers Association (ERA), has criticized Sony’s decision to end production of physical PlayStation discs.
The gaming company has received overwhelming backlash since announcing its plan to retire physical discs in 2028, and now, as reported by The Game Business, the 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.”
“Every year, millions of gamers still choose to buy physical copies because they value true ownership,” CEO Kim Bayley said in a statement. “A disc can be shared with family, traded in, collected, preserved and, crucially, still played years from now. A download licence often offers none of those 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, which represents almost half of all physical game revenue during this period, and a majority of sales were made through the post as opposed to in-store pick-ups on release day.
The ERA also said that 25 percent of gamers under 25 use discs and the total UK disc-based games market was valued at over £300 million in 2025, “demonstrating that there remains a substantial and committed audience for boxed games.”
“Retailers see this demand every day,” Bayley said. “Physical games continue to bring people into shops and give consumers real value through gifting, collecting and resale. The industry should be embracing every legitimate way consumers want to buy games, not narrowing 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. That’s bad for gamers, bad for retailers and ultimately bad for the long-term health and preservation of our games industry.”
Since its announcement earlier this month, Sony has remained silent in the face of 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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