While introducing the PS5 Digital Edition Midnight Black model, PlayStation once again highlighted a notice regarding game distribution formats. The notice states that new PlayStation games released from January 2028 onward will be available exclusively as digital downloads via the PlayStation Store and other retail channels.
The notice presented this time reiterates existing arrangements and does not establish any new deadlines. According to the notice, disc versions of previously released games can continue to be sold. The change effective from January 2028 applies only to disc versions of newly released games and does not mean that existing discs will immediately become obsolete.
The Midnight Black model, which drew attention alongside the announcement, was unveiled on October 13, 2026, exclusively for the Japanese market. It does not include a built-in optical disc drive and features 825GB of SSD storage. The system language and account usage conditions are also tailored for the Japanese market; a compatible Midnight Black optical disc drive is planned for separate release.