European Union Commissioner Michael McGrath has stated that the EU cannot intervene to stop Sony from eliminating physical discs for PlayStation games by 2028, dealing a blow to gamers hoping for regulatory action. Speaking in the European Parliament in Strasbourg, McGrath, the EU commissioner for Democracy, Justice, the Rule of Law and Consumer Protection, revealed that Sony had consulted him about potential EU repercussions as early as 2018.
EU Commissioner Says Commercial Freedoms Prevail
McGrath explained that the decision falls under commercial and contractual freedoms, leaving little room for EU intervention. “It does come down to commercial and contractual freedoms, and companies are free to offer games and services in the manner that they see fit, provided that consumer rights are fully protected in line with national and EU law,” he said. He added that the EU had considered a European citizens initiative on whether games should remain available after a new edition is released, but no enforceable action was taken.
This stance aligns with the EU’s recent decision not to enforce game preservation after servers shut down, undermining the ‘Stop Killing Games’ initiative. The commissioner’s comments confirm that Sony’s plan to go all-digital by 2028 is unlikely to face regulatory hurdles.
Sony’s Disc Phase-Out Plan and Industry Impact
Sony has announced that only PlayStation games released in 2027 will receive physical disc copies, including the anticipated God of War Laufey. After that, all first-party titles will be digital-only. Disc manufacturing plants are already restructuring in anticipation of reduced production. Some PS5 consoles are already sold without disc drives, signaling the company’s commitment to a digital future.
Gamer Backlash and Petition
Despite the EU’s position, over 300,000 gamers have signed the ‘Don’t Kill the Disc’ petition, and thousands are cancelling their PlayStation Plus subscriptions in protest. However, McGrath’s comments suggest these efforts are unlikely to change Sony’s course. “At this time, we did have to consider a European citizens initiative on this question of whether games should continue to be available after a new edition of the game has been brought forward,” he noted, but no binding measures were implemented.
The EU’s hands-off approach leaves Sony free to proceed, with the physical disc market expected to dwindle significantly by 2028.
