Sony Ending Game Discs Could Hurt Low-Income Gamers Most

Sony plans to stop making physical game discs by 2028. Experts warn this will hit poorer gamers worldwide, especially in Africa, hardest.

Sony has announced it will stop producing physical game discs from 2028, meaning future PlayStation games will only be available as digital downloads. Experts warn this change could badly hurt gamers in low-income areas around the world.

Why does this matter? Right now, many gamers save money by buying used physical discs on the second-hand market (where people resell games they've already finished). Once discs disappear, that cheap option disappears too — leaving only full-price digital downloads.

The problem is worse in developing countries. Experts say the cost of gaming is already rising. Here are some key figures:

Sony raised PS5 prices in March 2026, blaming global economic pressure
The next Xbox could cost up to $1,800
In Nigeria, downloading the giant 212GB game GTA 6 could cost $25 to $60 in data charges — on top of the $80 game price
One expert paid 75,000 NGN (about $55) for internet data — more than Nigeria's minimum monthly wage
At average Nigerian internet speeds, downloading GTA 6 would take nearly 13 hours

There's an even bigger issue in Africa. The PlayStation Network (Sony's online store and service) only officially works in one African country: South Africa. So gamers elsewhere must create fake foreign accounts registered in the US or UK, paying with foreign gift cards.

But this breaks Sony's rules, which say your account must be registered where you actually live. Sony can suspend or close accounts that use false information. Expert Isa Muhammad warns that in a disc-free future, a gamer who loses access to their account could lose every game they ever bought — forcing them to buy everything again.

The bottom line: While removing discs may be convenient for wealthy gamers with fast internet, experts say it risks shutting out millions of poorer players — especially those with slow, expensive internet connections and no official access to Sony's store. Sony did not respond to requests for comment.

This is an AI-generated summary. Read the original article at: https://decrypt.co/382714/sony-axing-game-discs-will-have-outsized-impact-on-low-income-gamers-experts-say