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Sony’s PlayStation disc factory is already being repurposed
All 300 employees will be retrained, Sony says.
Valve shares official 3D print files to let users build their own Steam Machine e-ink faceplate
The e-ink faceplate was first shown off alongside the Steam hardware announcement last year, and Valve has now shared the files and instructions for those who want to make one on their own.
Danganronpa 2x2 Game Reveals ‘Slayhem’ Title for New Scenario, Delay to Early 2027
New alternate “Slayhem” scenario to be about 35 hours long
Cristiano Ronaldo Continues To Make History, Breaking World Cup Knockout Stage Record
Cristiano Ronaldo has become the oldest player to ever play in the knockout stage of the World Cup.
Sony Discusses Potential Future PlayStation Plus Price Hikes
Sony says it continues to balance value and pricing for PlayStation Plus, addressing the possibility of future subscription increases.
The French-born star carrying British hopes at Wimbledon
Arthur Fery is left carrying British hopes at the All England Club after becoming the sole home player to reach the third round.
Taylor Swift, Travis Kelce's relationship timeline, from NFL games to wedding
Years before Travis Kelce knelt to the ground and pulled out a custom ring for Taylor Swift, the Kansas City Chiefs player was just a fan in the stands who
Schumer pushes to delay SNAP cuts, warns of costs falling on county budgets
Schumer appeared in Wyoming County Thursday.
Which schools will play which sports in the new-look Mountain West
The Mountain West used to have a clean-cut approach to its membership with 11 full members plus two affiliates (Hawaii in football and Colorado College in women
Spring Sports Wrap Up 2025: Strong Finishes and Playoff Highlights
Written by Sergio Uriarte. Last Updated July 2, 2026 in CHS Bulldogs. As the spring season draws to a close, our student-athletes wrapped up their respective seasons with grit, sportsmanship, and impressive performances.
Slimmed-down ESSENCE Fest lineup could ease delay issues
The annual festival, which has called New Orleans home for nearly three decades, is featuring performances from artists including Babyface and Cardi B, along with appearances from former First Lady Mi...
Rich Eisen belives he’s done doing play-by-play
Rich Eisen built a second career on NFL Network almost by accident, stepping into the play-by-play chair years after he’d already made his name as a host. It appears that part of his career is now over, as he told Sports Illustrated’s Jimmy Traina that he no longer expects to call games. “No, it is…
Portugal plays bigger than its size — in both politics and soccer - Live Updates
How a small nation became a diplomatic superpower.
Cape Fear Valley Health layoffs leave 138 employees searching for work
Cape Fear Valley Health employs more than 9,000 people. Officials said about 2% of staff at each hospital were impacted.
Oakland sports standings: Roots playoff push, ultimate frisbee dominance
Plus the Ballers' home run leader, the Unicorns’ promising cricket season and the rise of some local youth weightlifting champions.
Fox Sports rules analyst Mark Clattenburg: Folarin Balogun red card ‘shouldn’t have been a VAR intervention’
A delightful win for the USMNT on Wednesday night was overshadowed by a questionable red card on striker Folarin Balogun, immediately casting concern over the national team’s next match on Monday as Balogun serves a suspension. The second-half booking came after Balogun became tangled up with a Bosnian defender. In real time, the play did…
Rams announce death of franchise great LeRoy Irvin
Irvin is one of a handful of players to make All-Pro at multiple positions
The weather and science behind a perfect fireworks show
A great fireworks show is about far more than the fireworks themselves — the weather plays a starring role. Clouds, wind and even the humidity can mean the difference between a crisp, dazzling display and a hazy, muffled dud. Meteorologist Caitlin Kaiser breaks down the science that makes fireworks burst into color and the conditions that can make or break the perfect show.
Trump's massive July 4 firework show raises health alarms
An "unforgettable" tribute to America, or a health hazard that will terrorize animals and pollute the environment?
A new attack uses a BioShock-style puzzle to convince AI browsers they're not in the real world
Researchers from LayerX recently unveiled BioShocking, a new type of vulnerability designed to target AI-powered browsers capable of executing autonomous tasks on the open web. The security...
Rockies' Top Prospect Ethan Holliday Lands Major Off-Field Opportunity
The Rockies' No. 1 prospect might not be playing on the field right now, but he is about to be in the national spotlight.
Ben Franklin Bridge's 100th anniversary celebration will feature live entertainment and special light shows on July 11
The free event in Camden will include food trucks, carnival rides, historical exhibits and blue and green light displays after sunset.
Galaxy S27 Pro and Ultra leak hints at a big shake-up for the selfie camera
Samsung has kept the same front camera for the Galaxy S series since the S23. But a new leak suggests a change is coming.
Carpinteria’s Performing Arts Center Offers a Wealth of Entertainment and Community Components
From films and plays to classes and camps, The Alcazar Theatre has been serving the Central Coast since 1928.
Step Into the Modern Era in EA SPORTS College Football 27 with EA Play
It's time to take the gridiron in EA SPORTS College Football 27. Get game-day ready with an EA Play 10-hour early access trial.
Melissa McCarthy and Clive Owen to play JonBenét Ramsey's parents in new Netflix series
"The Murder of JonBenét Ramsey" aims to examine the case from multiple viewpoints, including those of the Ramsey family and investigators, rather than presenting a single theory.
Ex-Mayor LaToya Cantrell’s federal trial is delayed again. See when it’s set to happen.
The delay until May 2027 is the latest wrinkle in the legal case against New Orleans’ former mayor.
Inside Bask Health: The Plug-and-Play Infrastructure Supporting the Telehealth Boom
Bask operates behind the scenes of the Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) telehealth market, providing infrastructure that aims to streamline the backend process.
Former Arkansas basketball players preparing for NBA Summer League
At the time of writing, eight players who finished their careers with the Arkansas men’s basketball team have been announced on Summer League rosters.
Weekend Entertainment | Plenty of Room for Booms at Fireworks Displays
The Youngstown Symphony Orchestra will perform a free concert that will come to a dazzling finale, with a fireworks display for 15 minutes.
Opinion | When Scholarly Societies Play at Politics
They are meant to cement scholarly authority. Sometimes, they threaten it instead.
Fantasy Football Debate: Which player is the biggest wild card going into the 2026 NFL season?
Who was the 49ers’ most underrated free-agent addition?
There are plenty of options, but we’re narrowing it down to the player who should win the left guard spot
Politics and football: How to play the game
England’s still standing in the World Cup, and politicians all want to share in the reflected glow.
ONTOS delayed to 2027
Publisher Kepler Interactive and developer Frictional Games have delayed science-fiction mystery thriller ONTOS from its previously planned 2026 release window to 2027. It will be available for Pla…
"Am I going back to PS4 days?" - Former PlayStation leader Shuhei Yoshida has tried the Steam Machine, and he doesn't sound very impressed
Yoshida has a mixed opinion of Valve's new Steam Machine, which he has shared online.
Free Play Days – Call of Duty Black Ops 7, Diablo IV, Ikonei Island: An Earthlock Adventure, and More
Free Play Days – XBOX players can jump into Call of Duty Black Ops 7, Diablo IV, Ikonei Island: An Earthlock Adventure, and more, this weekend and beyond!
Eight Golden Flashes Named to Athlon Sports 2026 Preseason All-MAC Teams
KENT, Ohio — Kent State football placed eight players on Athlon Sports' 2026 Preseason All-MAC Teams, the publication announced as part of its 2026 College F...
Obsidian Entertainment is NOT in ‘Deep in Negotiation’ with Microsoft, per new Report *Updated
Update: Everyone’s favourite video game journalist, Bloomberg’s Jason Schrier has shared a brief post on social media that refutes the report detailed below: Despite a report this morning, I can confirm that Obsidian is not in negotiations to avoid shutting down. Plenty of details are still up in the air surrounding the layoffs (picture will […]
Cowboys and Eagles dominate roster strength comparison across NFC East
Ranking the NFC East rosters by player grades
PlayStation Icon Gives Valve's Steam Machine A Rough Review
Shuhei Yoshida had good and not so good things to say about Valve's new gaming PC
U.S. filings for jobless aid fall to 215,000 as layoffs remain at historically healthy levels
WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. applications for jobless aid inched down last week as layoffs remain at historically healthy levels. The number of Americans filing for unemployment benefits in the week ending…
We’re in the game: Bear Bryant Award returns to EA SPORTS College Football 27
HOUSTON, July 2, 2026 – The name of the legendary Paul “Bear” Bryant is synonymous with excellence in the game of college football, and once again, fans playing EA SPORTS College Football 27’s Dynasty Mode will have the chance to win the American Heart...
Minor League Update: Rookie Leagues
Whenever I give updates on minor league stats, I’m always conflicted about how many players to include. Some of it is time management-related. Obviously, if I cover every conceivable player, it will take me time I sometimes don’t have. But I also am not particularly interested in writing 5,000 words for one of these either. […]
Stealing one player from every division rival for the Titans
An exercise designed to pluck one player from every division rival for the Tennessee Titans.
Launch of Swift Boost Mission Delayed, Teams Reviewing Data
The launch of Katalyst’s robotic servicing spacecraft LINK on Northrop Grumman’s Pegasus XL rocket was postponed Thursday.
Capcom pushes forward Onimusha: Way of the Sword release date just days after devs stated they're not afraid of September's busy schedule
We'll be playing Onimusha: Way of the Sword earlier than we thought, after all.
Steelers roster spotlight: Can Rico Dowdle make history in Pittsburgh?
As the Pittsburgh Steelers move closer to the 2026 season, we’re taking a closer look at every player on the roster, with RB Rico Dowdle up next.
Xbox reportedly to follow PlayStation's example and ditch discs for next-gen console Project Helix
The next Xbox console may also ship without a built-in disc drive, but Microsoft may have a solution for discs from older generations.
7 Indoor Kid Entertainment Venues in Northern Virginia
These Northern Virginia indoor kid entertainment venues include slides, a space-themed playground, a community-centered play café, and more.
Imai Implodes Again, Astros Blasted by Twins 8-3
It’s never a good sign when your first mile feels like you’ve already run a full marathon. For Tatsuyi Imai, the outing was quick and ugly. Twins 8 Astros 3. Imai’s early game struggles were on full display before an announced crowd of 29,179. In the opening several minutes, Trevor Larnach […]
Chris Paul fuels return speculation with Jayson Tatum workout video
Chris Paul announced his NBA retirement on Feb. 13. However, fans are speculating that he could play for the Boston Celtics next season. It came after a video of him putting up shots at the Elite Camp on Wednesday with…
ESPN hates the Rams’ offseason
Sean McVay’s bullet board material for Rams players starts with a “C+”
Athletics slugger Brent Rooker to have season-ending knee surgery
Athletics designated hitter Brent Rooker will undergo surgery to repair a cartilage tear in his left knee and miss the remainder of the season. “This is a big blow,” manager Mark Kotsay said Wednesday before the A's played the Los Angeles Dodgers. A two-time All-Star, Rooker hasn’t played since June 8.
Onimusha: Way of the Sword release date moved up to September 4
Capcom has moved up swordplay action game Onimusha: Way of the Sword from its previously announced September 25 release date to September 4, three weeks earlier than planned. It will be available f…
Cincinnati Reds middle infielder Matt McLain on playing centerfield
Cincinnati Reds 2B/SS Matt McLain made his first career MLB start in centerfield Wednesday night in Milwaukee.
Supreme Court ruling lifts limits on political party campaign spending
The decision could play a role in the battle for control of Congress this November.
Ukraine's General Valery Zaluzhny emerges as a key figure in national politics
While still hypothetical, elections have reportedly been discussed by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky for the fall, fueling speculation about a possible candidacy by the former commander-in-chief. Like Zaluzhny, several senior officers enjoy strong public support and could play a major role in political life after the war.
Magic bring back fan favorite Vucevic on one-year deal
Vucevic played nine seasons for the Magic before getting traded to Chicago.
Attack on Titan 3 launches this winter, first gameplay
Attack on Titan 3 will launch for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series, Switch 2, and PC via Steam this winter, publisher Koei Tecmo and developer Omega Force announced.
Former NBA player Malik Beasley pleads not guilty in gambling scandal
Beasley is the latest charged in a growing sports gambling probe led by prosecutors in the Eastern District of New York.
SC behavioral health agency cuts 47 jobs in administrative overhaul, workers say they had no warning
Nearly 50 people are now without jobs after layoffs within the South Carolina Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities.
Bethesda Makes Clever Oblivion 'Physical' Post As Sony Scraps Discs
Bethesda Game Studios has made a post on social media that seems to be poking some kind of fun at Sony's recent PlayStation disc news.
Identity Politics: The Good, The Bad, And The… Hotly Contested
Should our government ignore our identities or focus on them? In this episode of Crash Course Political Theory, we’ll explore the role identity plays in politics and government, from affirmative action to white backlash, and ask, “What is fair?”
Minnesota won’t enforce social media health warning as lawsuit continues
State officials didn’t indicate there would be any delays in enforcement in the days before the law took effect.
Xbox is reportedly considering dropping disc drives as it tests new feature that lets players digitize physical games
A new report now claims Xbox, like PlayStation, is set to "drop the disc drive."
NEW Best In Games Warren: Metro Detroit’s Ultimate Indoor Family Entertainment Center
Located at 28300 Dequindre Road, this massive entertainment destination features everything from an enormous indoor playground and laser tag to go-karts, bowling, arcade games, and even axe throwing…
England vow to ‘keep pounding the rock’ shows Thomas Tuchel will stick with his tactic
Thomas Tuchel forecast how DR Congo was going to play. He got it wrong but at least England do have a plan, and they’re going to stick to it
Sports Audio Report: Female Fans
The latest report, Sports Audio Report: Female Fans with Edison Research, SiriusXM Media, and GroupM explores the unique audio listening habits of U.S. female sports fans and shows how they interact with sports beyond the field. Sports audio plays an integral role in female sports fandom – 57% of female sports fans “frequently” or “occasionally” listened to sports audio content in...
Cavs sign rookie Meleek Thomas to a four-year deal
The Cleveland Cavaliers have signed Meleek Thomas to a four-year, $9.3 million deal. Thomas was selected 34th overall by the Cavs last week in the 2026 NBA Draft. Thomas played 37 games with Arkansas last year as a freshman. He averaged 15.7 points and 3.8 rebounds as a 6’3” sharpshooting combo-guard. The Cavs are excited […]
MLB Players Propose Limiting Optional Assignments To Minor Leagues, More
MLB players proposed that optional assignments to the minor leagues be cut from a maximum of five per season to three.
Urbanowski: Teamwork amplifies arts, culture and entertainment
THE ARTS WILL PLAY IN 2026! is a cooperative marketing program created to enhance San Jose’s branding and economy through the promotion of arts and cultural events and activities.
Sony will stop making physical copies of PlayStation games in 2028
“We will own nothing, it's truly sad.”...
Healthy Returns: Walmart, CVS step in to help seniors navigate Medicare coverage of obesity drugs
Medicare has started covering obesity drugs for the first time – and companies like Walmart and CVS Health are playing an important role for patients.
New details emerge on Xbox 'Positron', Microsoft's disc-to-digital program — as it seems likely Xbox Helix will drop discs too
Xbox Helix is likely to be joining PlayStation 5 in dropping discs. A new report describes how Microsoft plans to mitigate the issue.
Yui-Gi-Oh Tournament Postponed Because Players Were Too Smelly
A card shop in Oregon had to suspend an even for a week because of reports of poor hygiene
Sony to end physical PlayStation game discs for new releases starting in 2028
Sony says all new PlayStation games released after January 2028 will be sold digitally, reflecting changing consumer demand and the gaming industry's broader move away from physical media.
Only one Minnesota Viking makes CBS Sports' top 100 NFL players for 2026
You won’t be able to buy new PlayStation games on discs starting in 2028
It's is a massive step toward the dissolution of physical media in games, since PlayStation holds the biggest share of the console market.
Sony says goodbye to discs for new PlayStation games in 2028
Sony said it will stop production of physical discs for PlayStation games in response to industry and consumer shifts.
PlayStation Plus July 2026 free games lineup announced, including Modern Warfare 3
Play a recent Call of Duty for free before Modern Warfare 4 drops this fall
Indie Selects for July 2026: Gameplay That Will Make Summer Pop
The ID@XBOX team has handpicked five Indie Selects for July that are ready to light up your night like a sky full of summer fireworks.
Brand New The Blood of Dawnwalker Gameplay Showcases Coen’s Investigation Skills and a Boss Battle Against the Eerie Forgotten Guardian
See Coen's investigation and fighting skills on full display in this quest gameplay from The Blood of Dawnwalker.
Oregon store pauses Yu-Gi-Oh! card game competitions after complaints about players’ hygiene
The issue of hygiene in competitive gaming has prompted major publishers, including Yu-Gi-Oh! publisher Konami, to enact formal regulations in the past
July’s three PlayStation Plus ‘free’ Essential monthly games include Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3
There are three games available for subscribers to claim this month…
PlayStation Plus Confirms 3 Games For July 2026 Free Game Line-Up
Available to enjoy from Tuesday July 7.
VA’s top healthcare official is stepping down
As VA's undersecretary for health, John Bartrum played a leading role in the resumed rollout of its new Electronic Health Record…
Sony PlayStation Phasing Out Physical Video Game Discs
Sony PlayStation said it plans to end production of physical video game discs by January 2028.
OtherSide Entertainment lays off 18 from Thick as Thieves team
OtherSide has now laid off 36 employees in the last month.
No shower, no go: Oregon card shop halts Yu‑Gi‑Oh tournaments over player hygiene complaints
BEAVERTON (Oregon), July 1 — An independently owned card shop in Beaverton, Oregon, has suspended its Yu‑Gi‑Oh tournaments for a week after receiving multiple complaints and...
Your guide to summer grilling and heart health - Baylor College of Medicine Blog Network
Dr. Nidal Buheis explains the role red meat plays in heart health and suggests how to enjoy red meat in moderation this summer.
PlayStation Plus Extra and Premium's announcements of monthly new games are being changed in some territories, and players aren't happy about it
PlayStation has made some changes in certain key territories to how new PS Plus Extra and Premium game reveals are made.
Microsoft to cut 2.5% of its workforce in yet another round of layoffs
More than 5,000 people will likely lose their jobs pretty soon. It seems like Microsoft continues its series of layoffs, with the last one being in July...
Sony announces an end to the PS3 and Vita digital stores
The company describes it as "not an easy decision to make", and describes it as a resource allocation decision.
Sony Shutting Down PlayStation Store for New Purchases on PS3 and Vita
Sony has announced the closure of its PlayStation Store on the PS3 and Vita, beginning next month in certain countries.
Sony is killing all physical PlayStation game discs
New games released after January 2028 will be digital-only.
Sony will cease production of discs for new PlayStation games in 2028
New games sold for PlayStation consoles will only be available digitally and won’t be sold on discs effective January 2028, Sony has announced. The move applies to all PlayStation games released from that point on, including those made by Sony and those released by third parties. The PlayStation group calls the change “a natural direction for Sony Interactive Entertainment to adapt to consumer trends as the general preference for digital media significantly outpaces physical discs,” according to a PlayStation blog post reviewed by Game File in advance of its publication. As movies, TV and music have shifted from physical media to an age of downloads and streaming, Sony’s move could speed the demise of physical media in a gaming. The industry has offered consumers games via cartridges, cassettes, floppy discs, CDs, DVDs and Blu-Rays across a 50-year stretch. Sony has been reporting to investors in recent years that PlayStation games have been increasingly purchased as downloads, not as discs. The most recent figures show nearly four in five purchases of full games for PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 were purchased digitally in the past year. Stats like that may cause today’s news to carry an air of the inevitable. But Sony’s declaration for 2028 is still likely to produce a shock, as the biggest gaming platform on the planet that uses game discs leaves them behind. Discs going away, but the fate of game boxes is unknown Sony is committing to still selling games in physical retailers even after they drop discs in 2028. Just how those games will be sold—in boxes with codes inside, as cards marked with digital redemption codes—is unclear. Digital games will also continue to be sold in the online PlayStation Store. New games released for PlayStation consoles prior to January 2028 will be unaffected by the policy change, Sony says. That means the PS5 games of 2027, be they a new Madden, a new God of War, a new Call of Duty, a new Sly Cooper (one can dream?), would still potentially be offered on disc. PlayStation 6 implications Sony’s timeline for a transition to a no-disc era will also spin up more speculation about the timing and configuration of Sony’s next-generation console, the probable PlayStation 6. “This pretty much guarantees that PS6 won’t arrive until 2028 at the earliest,” Piers Harding-Rolls, senior games research analyst at Ampere Analysis tells Game File. Harding-Rolls also concludes from today’s news that “the base version of a PS6 will not include a physical media drive,” as Sony looks to keep costs down on the device. Sony itself is saying nothing about the PS6 today: not its timing, nor how it might or might not support internal or external disc drives in order to run disc-based PS4 and PS5 games, should the console be backwards compatible. The many signs this was coming Industry support for games being released on physical media has been waning. As has consumer interest in them. PC games effectively went all-digital years ago, thanks to the popularity of playing games through Steam and other digital storefronts. The Covid-19 pandemic and the lockdowns that kept much of the global population home helped shift shopping patterns toward downloads. Sony’s own data shows PlayStation game downloads being an uncommon consumer choice a decade ago and now becoming the norm. On consoles, physical media has been in such decline that Sony and Microsoft both launched their current gen Xbox Series and PS5 consoles in 2020 with cheaper versions that lacked disc drives. In early 2024, Phil Spencer, then head of Xbox, told me that ““[w]e ship games physically and digitally, and we’re really just following what the customers are doing.” He added that the game industry had become an outlier in still supporting disc-based entertainment, even as movies and TV have bailed on discs in favor of downloads and steaming: “Gaming consoles themselves have kind of become the last consumer electronic device that has a drive. And this is a real issue, just in terms of the number of manufacturers that are actually building drives and the cost associated with those. And when you think about cogs that we’re going to go put in a console—and as you have fewer suppliers and fewer buyers—the cost of the drive does have an impact.” Last year, the Nintendo’s Switch 2, which uses cartridges rather than discs, introduced the concept of game-key cards, which are physical media that contain no game, just a prompt for a download. Even disc-based games aren’t what they once were, now frequently containing just stubs of games rather than the whole thing. The website Does It Play has tested over 3000 games and found that, for example, that the disc version of this year’s hit 007: First Light, only contained the game’s first mission, with the rest needing to be downloaded. Beyond all that, last week brought the news that Grand Theft Auto VI, likely the biggest game launch this decade, will debut for PS5 and Xbox Series without a disc-based version. Today’s big news comes to you for free. Game File is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and ensure more of my work is possible, please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Subscribe Discs helped define PlayStation However the trends in entertainment may be going, it is still remarkable to see PlayStation ditch discs given their importance in PlayStation history: In the late 1990s, the first PlayStation’s support for games on relatively cheap CD-ROMs instead of traditional game cartridges allowed the upstart console to outmaneuver cartridge-based systems from Nintendo and Sega, as it drove down game prices down in the process. (The cheaper disc format even prompted Final Fantasy VII maker Square to taunt Nintendo in a magazine ad, saying that if the game was “available on cartridge, it’d retail for around $1200.”) PlayStation devices often doubled as machines for watching movies and TV on the latest disc-based formats. In the late 2000s, for example, Sony’s pricy PS3 gained traction as a go-to device for playing then-novel Blu-Ray discs. In 2013, Sony effectively roasted the digital game-sharing restrictions proposed by rival Microsoft for its upcoming Xbox One console by showing how games could be shared for the then-upcoming PS4. In a 21-second clip that has over 20 million views on YouTube, one PlayStation executive simply handed a game box—presumably with disc inside—to another, who said “thanks.” Sony’s possible motivations The PlayStation announcement today cites “consumer preferences” and a shift away from discs among “the broader entertainment industry,” but does not delve into the decision-making process that brought Sony to this point. Sony is not discussing the economics of this move (I asked!), but there are a number of potential factors: Abandoning discs will spare Sony the cost of manufacturing and shipping them, which analysts and industry veterans I spoke to said could account for $1 or so of a game’s retail price. For first-party games, that’s direct savings for Sony, though the amount is limited by the winnowing percentage of people who were even buying the disc-based versions. For third-party games, Sony could pass the savings on to partners or just retain the better profit margin for themselves. As the 2024 comments from Phil Spencer alluded to, leaving discs behind could mean leaving disc-drives behind, allowing Sony to produce consoles more cheaply. Switching to digital-only for games could diminish the risks of copies of new games leaking. It would also seemingly make second-hand sales of used games impossible, pushing more people to buy their own copies of games. These economic benefits for Sony could be boons for the games industry overall, Ampere analyst Piers Harding-Rolls tells Game File. Among other things, it could free publishers and retailers from having to worry about securing an inventory of game discs when trying to sell games, he noted. “If there is a way to streamline the business of games retail, I generally think it’s a good thing for the industry as it removes unnecessary costs,” Harding-Rolls said. “This will help offset pressure on margins from other directions – development and staffing costs for example.” Should the industry shift from game boxes that contain discs to smaller, cheaper game cards, Harding-Rolls said, that reduces pressure on publishers and retailers. “The advantage of everything going digital for the industry is that sales can be tracked much more easily and there is less commercial risk for publishers wanting to continue selling via retail,” he said. The shift to no discs will also likely impact game development timelines, as developers will no longer face the same urgency to have a build ready to submit to PlayStation for the production of a disc, as industry experts noted around GTA VI’s no-disc news last week. Instead, projects may gain weeks of development time, in the event delivery deadlines for platform approval move closer to release date. Preservationists’ likely worries While millions of gamers have shifted to digital, there are still people who associate game discs—and only game discs—with actual ownership of PlayStation games. That portion of the gaming community spoke up last week about wanting to buy a version of GTA VI that they could hold in their hands, could lend to a friend and could potentially pop into a well-preserved PS5 console three decades from now and still see it run. Such gamers didn’t want to worry that they’d merely purchased a digital copy that could lose access to the game if, say, the company behind the game someday turns of the servers that transmit downloadable copies. Digital copies of games are inherently less long-lasting, because consumers aren’t actually buying a game (on a disc), just buying access to the game. The fine print in online gaming shops notes this, as does a recent law that went on the books in California in 2025. That lasw requires game publishers doing business in the state to refrain from words like “sell” when offering digital copies of games, unless they explicitly tell consumers that what’s being sold isn’t the game itself but a potentially revocable license to access it. A Sony spokesperson noted to Game File that “[w]ith all digital content, including games, movies, and music, players are purchasing a personal license for non-commercial use.” Regarding the fears of PlayStation games being lost to time in an all-digital era, the rep also noted that Sony remains “committed to delivering experiences from past generations to the new platforms our players are using.” They noted that PlayStation has used emulation and remasters to keep offering its classic games to modern gamers. It’s true that many consumers have become accustomed to not having physical copies of new music albums or movies, but the relative precariousness of digital copies of games is in fact being highlighted today by…. Sony’s other big announcement: the upcoming closure of the PS3 and PS Vita online stores Sony said today that it will be closing the online marketplaces for its PlayStation 3 console and PS Vita handheld in most countries in July 2027 (sooner elsewhere: August 2026 for the PS3 store Mexico, Honduras and Nicaragua; late 2026 for PS3 in other Latin American countries and the Middle East). “We know this news may be disappointing to PS3 and PS Vita players who hold a special place in their hearts for this generation of gaming,” Sony said in its announcement, saying the move “was not an easy decision for us to make.” Sony said that PS3 and Vita marketplaces “are no longer able” to support modern commerce systems, prompting a “need” to close the shops and focus on more modern PlayStation platform stores. The news may spark some deja vu. Sony announced back in March 2021 that it planned to take the PS3, Vita and PlayStation Portable marketplaces offline that summer. The move would have caused some 2,000 digital-only games to become unavailable for new purchasers, according to a VGC analysis at the time. Fans complained loudly. By April 2021, Sony walked back the PS3 and Vita shop closures, with then PlayStation boss Jim Ryan saying “it’s clear that we made the wrong decision here.” This time around, Sony is giving a longer notice period in most regions. The closure of those stores is still likely to cut off access to new purchases of digital-only PS3 and Vita games. The current PlayStation 5 marketplace sells PS5 and PS4 games, as well as a selection of PS1 and PS2 games. It does not sell PS3 games, because games for that platform can’t run on the system (some are offered via a PlayStation Plus streaming option). Vita games also aren’t sold via PS5. Sony says digitally purchased PS3 and Vita games will be downloadable after the stores’ shutdowns “for the foreseeable future.” Sony’s move contrasts with Microsoft’s Xbox platform, which continues to sell and support games from all four Xbox console generations. But it puts it in line with Nintendo, which disabled purchases in the marketplace for its Wii console (a contemporary of the PS3) in 2019. Nintendo discontinued purchases in the online shop for its 3DS portable (a contemporary of the Vita) in 2023. The big questions about Sony’s 2028 post-disc era Will Microsoft follow suit, ending support for new disc-based games on Xbox platforms and therefore all game consoles, too? Whether Microsoft does or not, will third-parties that can no longer release games on discs for PlayStation, simply ditch the disc options across the board? Given the GTA VI no-disc experiment launching this November, will more game publishers decide to forgo disc-based offerings even in 2027? How will no-disc PS5/6 games be packaged and sold in brick-and-mortar retail stores? What becomes of game sharing in an all-digital era? Will Sony modify its current set-up, which currently allows some sharing of digital games across a pair of consoles, to allow more casual lending? (See for example, Nintendo’s year-old system of letting players lend a digital game to another player in a “family group” for up to 14 days.) Will there be a version of a PS6 with a disc drive? Or will a drive be offered as an add-on? And how will gamers who want to retain access to PS4/PS5 disc-based games react to whichever configurations Sony chooses to offer? What will the final disc-based PlayStation game be?
The PlayStation Stores On PlayStation 3 And Vita Are Shutting Down
Starting this year and into 2027, Sony is sunsetting the digital storefront for two of its oldest online store platforms.