Circana: Just 7 PS Games Top 100K Physical Sales in 2026
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- Sony announced in July 2026 it will stop releasing new physical PlayStation discs starting in 2028, with disc-making factories already converting and the decision reportedly built into its next console.
- Circana's Mat Piscatella posted that only 7 PlayStation games sold over 100,000 physical discs in the US in 2026, and only two games sold more than 10,000 physical units in a recent tracked week.
- Sony retains a larger revenue share by going disc-less, avoiding revenue splits with retailers and physical production costs — while consumers see no reduction in game prices.
- PlayStation digital sales have previously been reported at 85%, though Tassi notes fans argue that figure overstates the shift because digital-only titles are never given a physical release and thus excluded.
- GTA 6 will reportedly release as a code-in-a-box on both PlayStation and Xbox, the first major test of the post-disc model.
- Microsoft is weighing whether to include a disc drive in its next Xbox console, with conflicting reports on whether it will differentiate from Sony on the issue.
- Sony's statement on the decision emphasizes "choices" and "innovation in how players can access games" but does not address reduced costs for consumers or game preservation concerns.
Why it matters: Sony captures the full retail margin by killing discs while gamers gain nothing — no price cuts, weakened digital ownership, and a hit to game preservation. With only 7 US titles clearing 100K physical sales and GTA 6 going code-in-a-box on both consoles, the disc era is effectively over before the 2028 cutoff.
