Sony's decision to ditch discs was practically inevitable, data shows

Many gamers are lamenting Sony's decision to stop selling physical game discs by twenty twenty-eight, but according to Ars Technica, industry data shows the move follows a well-established trend. A Circana analyst released tracking data Thursday showing that physical game sales in the US peaked in twenty oh-nine at two hundred ninety-seven million units sold, then went into a steep, steady decline—just thirty-seven million units in the most recent twelve months, roughly eighty-eight percent lower than the peak. The PlayStation picture is even starker: one hundred games sold over one hundred thousand physical units in twenty oh-eight, compared to only seven in twenty twenty-six. The top-selling physical PlayStation game this year has sold just two hundred seventy-five thousand copies. The shift away from discs reflects consumer habits that have been moving toward digital for over a decade.

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