An EU commissioner has suggested that there is not much the European Union can do legally to stop PlayStation from abandoning physical discs. Sony is planning to stop releasing the media format for its PlayStation consoles, with the change taking effect in January 2028.
Many gamers are trying to stop the Japanese company from discontinuing discs. There is currently a Change.org petition about PlayStation canceling the release of physical discs, and so far it has collected hundreds of thousands of signatures. Some people are also turning to legislators and lawmakers to push for new acts and regulations that could prevent Sony’s decision to kill PlayStation discs. However, a recent comment from a politician has sparked another wave of disappointment among gamers.
There Is Not Much That the EU Can Do, Says Commissioner
As reported by the Irish Mirror, Michael McGrath, EU Commissioner for consumer protection, recently commented on Sony’s new policies, saying, “Companies are free to offer games and services in the manner that they see fit.” McGrath also explained that “it does come down to commercial and contractual freedoms.” His comments come after the European Commission previously dealt a blow to the Stop Killing Games movement.
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In June 2026, the European Commission announced that it would not proceed with the Stop Killing Games’ request to propose regulations that could prevent publishers from sunsetting games. Now, the same scenario seems to be unfolding with Sony’s no-disc policy. The EU is unlikely to try to block the Japanese company from moving forward with its controversial decision. It appears that European copyright and intellectual property laws prevent legislators from introducing regulations that directly force publishers to present, sell, or support their products in a specific manner.
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Image via Sony -
Image via Sony -
Image via Sony
In the case of the Stop Killing Games movement, the EU has promised to look into creating a code of conduct to better manage a game’s end-of-life process. So, PlayStation fans can hope that a similar step is taken to improve digital game ownership rights. However, judging by McGrath’s comments, it is unlikely that the European Union will introduce any firm laws against Sony’s plans to discontinue discs.
Of course, McGrath isn’t the first to share such disappointing news with gamers. Earlier in July, games industry analyst Dr. Serkan Toto echoed a similarly grim outlook for the future of PlayStation. Toto said that Sony is unlikely to change course on its choice to end physical game discs, despite the ongoing backlash. He suggested that the customer base is so large that even if thousands of people stopped purchasing games or canceled their PS Plus subscriptions, Sony would survive the impact and move forward with the decision.
Gamers don’t seem to have given up on fighting for physical discs, though. On social media, they are using #BoycottSony and the phrase “No disc, no buy” to encourage fellow PlayStation users to resist the decision. The gaming industry has also reacted to PlayStation ending physical media with mostly negative sentiment, and several well-known developers have criticized the company’s policies. However, it remains to be seen how effective these user-led movements will be, as the legal side of things currently does not appear to be in favor of consumers.
