Video game retailer GAME has posted a heartfelt statement in response to Sony’s discontinuation of physical discs, which is set for January 2028 for PlayStation consoles. GTA 6 launches without a disc, and we’re sure that many more titles will follow suit. The retailer says every loss of a physical edition means we “lose the freedom to enjoy our hobby the way we want”.

GAME was founded back in 1990 and has long been a go-to store for new releases. It currently operates within the UK, Ireland, and Spain, but it previously had locations across Europe and in Australia. As you may know, these kinds of retailers are far from their former prime in many regions. They’ve suffered with the rise of digital media and brick-and-mortar store closures.

GAME will continue to support physical media, at least in Spain

In the UK, GAME closed its final standalone stores in April 2026 – it is now primarily an online business, but still operates smaller concessions inside Sports Direct and House of Fraser stores under their parent company Frasers Group. This means in-store stock is greatly reduced in comparison to its glory days, and it also stopped selling pre-owned copies.

Either way, the statement comes from GAME’s official Spanish account – we haven’t actually heard from the official UK one. It’s important to note that, unlike the UK, GAME España continues to offer more than 210 standalone and shopping center locations in the country, highlighting a stark contrast between the cultures when it comes to physical media versus digital game libraries.

Spain’s physical video game media market still maintains a level of popularity not seen in other European countries. In the passionate message, GAME España says millions of gamers treat physical editions as something more than “just a box on a shelf”. It’s all about “memories, collections, special editions, video game history and above all, rights as consumers,” it adds.

The post opens with “As a video game enthusiast, it’s time to stand up for what matters to us,” calling the “latest decisions” within the industry, likely referring to PlayStation’s announcement, “deeply concerning” – and a move that affects “everyone who understands video games as more than just a downloadable file”.

We will continue supporting physical media, backing the people who make it possible and giving a voice to a community that has spent years proving it’s still here. This doesn’t mean rejecting digital games, as long as they’re managed fairly and benefit everyone who loves video games.

GAME España / GAME Spain

The company says “Digital and physical can coexist; in fact they have done so for years” – also pointing out it has “spent 40 years defending physical media,” referring to the original Spanish company (Mail Soft) bought out by GAME, which formed in the 1980s. It concludes, “This will be GAME’s fight, but also the fight of a united community that has never stopped defending what it loves”.

On the digital side of things, GOG recently reminded everyone of the way digital sales “ought to be” – completely DRM-free.

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Jack Goodall

At PC Guide, Jack is mostly responsible for reporting on hardware deals. He also specializes in monitors, TVs, and headsets and can be found putting his findings together in a review or best-of guide.