Sony has been sued in five countries over plans to abandon disc versions of games

Sony Interactive Entertainment is facing official complaints and lawsuits in five countries, including Mexico, over its plan to fully move away from physical editions of PlayStation games starting in 2028. The dispute centers on whether that shift leaves PlayStation owners too dependent on the PlayStation Store.

The plaintiffs say Sony has built a closed ecosystem in which PlayStation owners have no real alternative to Sony's own store. They also point to the company's 2019 decision to stop selling digital game codes through third-party stores, arguing that it made that dependence even stronger.

According to the case details, similar actions were filed in the United States, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Portugal, and Mexico.

The U.S. case also included a price argument: plaintiffs said digital games in the PlayStation Store cost 74% more on average than physical copies sold by retailers. Sony agreed in April 2026 to pay $7.85 million to settle the American case, but the new dispute is tied to the broader move away from discs.

Lawyers say that if discs disappear, the used-game market and independent stores would be hit hard. In their view, players would lose the ability to resell, trade, or buy games more cheaply, while Mexican deputy Iraís Reyes said people would be forced to buy games only through Sony's store.

René Otto, founder of Deviant Legal, made a similar point about the role of physical editions in competition.

Recently, PS5 boxes warning that disc games are ending sparked debate over the decline of physical media.

Does Sony's move away from discs look like a simple business shift, or a bigger step toward dependence on the PlayStation Store?