I’ve been a PlayStation gamer since 1998, starting with the PS1. Physical games have always been a big part of that for me. I like owning them, collecting them, displaying them, lending them, reselling them and knowing I have a copy that does not rely entirely on a digital storefront.

This petition is not anti digital. It is pro ownership, pro preservation and pro consumer choice.

Digital games are convenient. For many players, they are now the default. But digital ownership still feels far too fragile. If a store closes, a licence changes, or a platform stops supporting downloads, players can be left relying on vague promises about future access.

Recent PlayStation announcements show why this matters. Sony has announced that physical disc production for new PlayStation games will end from January 2028, with new games released in digital formats only. Sony has also announced that the PS3 and PS Vita stores will close globally in July 2027, with previously purchased content remaining downloadable only “for the foreseeable future”.

That phrase should worry every player who has spent money building a digital library.

Buying a game should still mean something.

Games people have paid for should not become unavailable without proper notice, a fair alternative, or a way to preserve access. This is especially important for digital only games, DLC, older titles, and games that are no longer easy or affordable to buy physically.

Physical games matter because they give players rights and options that digital purchases often do not. They can be collected, sold, traded, lent, gifted, preserved, displayed and passed on. They also help keep games accessible when digital storefronts close, licences expire, or companies move on to newer platforms.

A box containing only a download code is not an equivalent replacement for a disc. It may look physical on a shelf, but it does not give players the same practical control over what they have bought. It cannot be resold, lent to a friend, traded in, gifted second hand, preserved independently, or passed on in the same way.

Digital games can be brilliant, but if physical media is reduced or removed, digital purchases must offer stronger protections in return.

This is not a niche concern. In 2023, the Video Game History Foundation reported that 87% of classic games were not currently in release and described them as critically endangered. In the UK, boxed games were reported to account for only 10.4% of new game sales in 2024. The direction of travel is clear. Physical media is shrinking, while digital access is becoming more important than ever.

This also affects more than individual collectors. Physical games support retailers, the pre owned market, distributors, manufacturers, warehouse and logistics work, independent game shops, collectors and preservation communities. Removing physical releases does not just change how players buy games. It changes who controls access, pricing, resale and preservation.

This issue has already reached lawmakers. The European Citizens’ Initiative “Stop Destroying Videogames” gained over 1.29 million verified statements of support. The European Commission has said it will engage with consumers and publishers by the end of 2026 to explore better industry standards.

That is a start, but players need more than vague promises and voluntary standards.

We are asking major platform holders, publishers, retailers and lawmakers to support:

1. Continued physical game releases where there is clear consumer demand.
2. Long term access to purchased digital games and DLC.
3. Clear wording about whether players are buying ownership, access, or a revocable licence.
4. Proper notice before digital stores, downloads, licence servers, or essential services are withdrawn.
5. Fair remedies if purchased content can no longer be accessed.
6. Better preservation of digital only games and legacy game libraries.
7. Offline access, permanent downloads, preservation builds, or other reasonable alternatives where ongoing store support is no longer possible.

Games are not disposable. They are part of people’s lives, collections, memories and culture. A game bought today should not become a dead icon in a library tomorrow.

We are not against digital. We are against digital becoming the only option without stronger rights attached. If the industry wants players to move further towards digital, then digital purchases must come with proper long term access, clear terms and fair remedies when access is removed.

Please sign this petition to support physical media, digital preservation, consumer choice and stronger rights for players.

This issue is already being discussed at European level. The “Stop Destroying Videogames” campaign received over 1.29 million verified statements of support and led to a formal European Commission response.

Sources and further reading

Official PlayStation Blog: physical disc production ending in January 2028: https://blog.playstation.com/2026/07/01/physical-disc-production-ending-in-january-2028-for-new-games-releasing-on-playstation-consoles/

Official PlayStation Blog: PS3 and PS Vita store closure: https://blog.playstation.com/2026/07/01/an-update-on-playstation-store-for-ps3-and-ps-vita/

European Citizens’ Initiative: Stop Destroying Videogames: https://citizens-initiative.europa.eu/stop-destroying-videogames-commissions-reply-european-citizens-initiative_en

European Commission press release: https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/news/commission-will-engage-industry-following-european-citizens-initiative-disabling-videogames

Video Game History Foundation: 87% Missing: https://gamehistory.org/87percent/