Lawmakers push back on PlayStation's disc-free consoles as digital-only risks mount

Consumer advocacy groups and lawmakers in Europe are pushing back against Sony's rumored plans to phase out disc drives from future PlayStation consoles, according to GamesRadar+. The move, which would force all game purchases through the PlayStation Store, has prompted warnings that players would lose the ability to truly own their games.

The pushback centers on digital storefronts' ability to revoke access. When you buy a disc, you own that copy. When you buy digitally, you're licensing access — and that license can vanish if Sony shuts down servers, pulls a game from the store, or bans your account. The European Consumer Organisation and multiple lawmakers are now arguing this isn't just a format shift; it's a fundamental change in what "buying a game" means.

Sony hasn't confirmed an all-digital PS6, but the PS5 Digital Edition and the disc-less PS5 Pro suggest the direction. Microsoft's already there with the Series S. If discs go away entirely, your library lives or dies with the platform holder's goodwill.

This matters for your hardware planning. If you're weighing a PS5 Pro or waiting for a PS6, factor in whether you care about reselling games, lending them, or playing them in 15 years when Sony's moved on. Check BetterFPS's platform coverage for cross-platform performance comparisons — PC's the only ecosystem where you control the install files (if you buy DRM-free).