Sony's all-digital shift hints at PS6 launch
Sony's announcement that from January 2028 it will cease releasing PlayStation games on physical disc has given the clearest indication yet of the PlayStation 6 launch date. Analyst Piers Harding-Rolls of Ampere now believes the console will 'almost certainly' arrive in 2028, and likely without a disc drive.
While Sony has not confirmed details about the PlayStation 5 successor, CEO comments have hinted at a possible handheld component. The biggest question has been timing: prior console cycles suggested late 2027, but the ongoing memory crisis led to speculation of a delay to 2028 or 2029.
Analyst: PS6 launch in late 2028, no disc drive
Following the digital announcement, Harding-Rolls stated in a blog post: 'First, we believe this almost certainly guarantees that the PlayStation 6 won’t arrive until 2028 at the earliest.' He added: 'Ampere’s current expectation is that the console will launch at the end of 2028,' based on the timing of Sony's abandonment of physical copies.
He further claimed that the PlayStation 6 will 'at a minimum' not include a physical disc drive. 'Sony will be looking for all the ways it can reduce the cost of its next gen console, and this is an easy win,' he said. An add-on disc drive could be made available to play older PS4 and PS5 discs, he speculated.
Digital license transfer possible but unlikely
Harding-Rolls suggested Sony could offer a process for transferring older physical media to a 'digital license' to ease negative feedback, but the analyst deemed that 'a bit too generous' given the company's direction.
Even with a 2028 launch, the PS6 faces challenges. The PS5's power is not yet fully tapped, the price could reach around £1,000, and an all-digital model would mean higher game costs. Removing the disc drive also ends the ability to play physical movies and TV shows, a feature since the PlayStation 2 that used DVD and Blu-ray compatibility as a selling point.
Sony has previously shown it can strip movies from digital libraries, leaving digital purchases as the only option if no attachable drive exists. This shift could further harm physical media in entertainment.
