Sony Phases Out PlayStation Discs Using Apple's Playbook
Source: Yanko Design
Sony's 2028 deadline for physical disc production mirrors Apple's 2016 headphone jack removal—a deliberate forced migration to higher-margin digital distribution rather than inevitable technological obsolescence. The comparison exposes how platform holders use supply-side decisions (ending manufacturing) to reshape consumer behavior and lock users into their ecosystems, where they capture 30% of every transaction rather than splitting revenue with retailers. PlayStation's shift prioritizes recurring subscription revenue (PlayStation Plus) and direct-to-consumer relationships over one-time game sales, a financial architecture Apple perfected with Services becoming its highest-growth segment.