The video game disc is dead

The Vergecast discusses Sony's plan to end PlayStation disc production, Microsoft's digital-first gaming strategy, and the broader decline of physical game media. The shift reflects a business push toward downloads, subscriptions, and tighter platform control, even as collectors and preservationists lose a longtime format.

The death of the disc signals gaming's deeper move toward platform-controlled access rather than ownership. That could improve convenience and margins for console makers, but it raises concerns about pricing power, resale rights, game preservation, and what players actually own.