Sony's commentary about winding down physical disc production produced an immediate wave of buyer's remorse from people who'd bought recently — the "I'm starting to regret buying a PS5" posts are real and they're recent. The regret is understandable and mostly misdirected.
Here's what actually changes and what doesn't.
What the disc decision does and doesn't mean
Does mean: new releases will increasingly be digital-only or have shorter, smaller physical print runs. Over time, physical becomes a niche format rather than a default. Resale markets for new titles thin out.
Doesn't mean: your existing discs stop working. The enormous back catalogue of PS4 and PS5 discs already in circulation doesn't evaporate — if anything, a shrinking supply of new physical releases makes a disc drive more useful for accessing that catalogue, not less.
If you own a drive-equipped console, you retain access to a decade-plus of cheap secondhand software. That's the asset.
The one thing that should change your decision
Buy the version with the disc drive.
Drive-equipped console models have a habit of quietly leaving production, and separately-sold detachable drives have been supply-constrained and awkwardly priced. If physical media is winding down, the window to buy hardware that can read it is also closing. A drive you rarely use costs a modest premium. A drive you can't get later costs you the entire secondhand market.
| You are… | Verdict | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Buying your first current-gen console for exclusives | BUY, drive version | Exclusive library is the reason and it's strong |
| Already own a gaming PC | DEPENDS | Many first-party titles reach PC on a delay; buy for the ones that don't |
| Buying primarily for GTA 6 in November | BUY | Console-only at launch; a PS5 or Series X is required |
| Considering a digital-only model to save money | Reconsider | Forfeits the entire used-disc market permanently |
| Waiting for a Pro or revision | WAIT only if you have no game you want now | Otherwise you're paying with a year of not playing |
The GTA 6 factor
Rockstar's stated launch is November 19, 2026, on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S, with PC following later. If that game is your reason for buying a console, then you need current-generation console hardware and there is no way around it. Expect demand and bundle activity in the run-up, and expect storage and accessory prices to be less friendly in the weeks either side of launch.
Practical advice: if you're buying anyway, buy before the launch window rather than during it, and buy your storage expansion at the same time.
PS5 and the essentials
Storage is the purchase people put off and regret. Install sizes for recent AAA releases make the base drive uncomfortable fast.
What still justifies the purchase
The exclusive library. That has been the answer for three console generations and it hasn't changed. Sony's first-party output is the most consistent in the industry, and while a growing share reaches PC eventually, "eventually" has typically meant one to two years, and some titles haven't made the trip at all.
Add the DualSense's haptics, which remain a genuine differentiator that PC ports frequently don't fully reproduce, and a mature, stable platform late in its cycle with a deep catalogue of discounted software.
What holds up
- The strongest first-party exclusive library on the market
- Mature platform with a deep catalogue of heavily discounted software
- Required hardware for GTA 6 at launch alongside Xbox Series X|S
- Existing discs and the used-disc market remain fully usable
What doesn't
- Physical media is winding down; new physical releases will thin out
- Drive-equipped models and detachable drives may become scarce
- Many exclusives now reach PC on a delay, weakening the exclusivity case
- Base storage is inadequate for modern install sizes
The verdict
BUY — the disc-edition model, and buy it before the November launch rush. The disc announcement is a reason to prefer the drive-equipped version, not a reason to skip the console. The exclusive library remains the strongest argument in console gaming, and a drive is your permanent key to a decade of cheap secondhand software.
Budget for an expansion SSD in the same purchase. You will need it inside three months.