Mortal Shell II Physical Edition Sells Out Amid Sony’s Disc‑Free Policy

Sony announced that it will cease manufacturing physical discs for new PlayStation games beginning January 2028. The decision triggered a wave of criticism from gamers, publishers and developers who fear loss of ownership, resale and preservation options.

Demand for the limited PS5‑exclusive “Revered Edition” of the indie action‑RPG Mortal Shell II surged far beyond expectations. Within days of its August 20 announcement, retailers in Austria, the United Kingdom and the United States reported that the edition was completely reserved or out of stock, and Playstack, the publisher, said a restock is not guaranteed. Similar sell‑out stories were reported for the same edition by multiple outlets.

The backlash has spilled into other areas of the industry. Independent studio Eat Pant Games saw its PlayStation trailer for the game Teeto flooded with comments demanding physical discs. Publishers complained that paid promotional posts on PlayStation’s official channels are being drowned out by disc‑related protests, reducing the value of their advertising spend. Mexican federal legislators have threatened an antitrust complaint, claiming the digital‑only shift could create a monopoly on game sales.

Analysts and opinion pieces have linked the controversy to larger trends, noting that upcoming blockbuster titles such as Grand Theft Auto VI are also being released primarily as “code‑in‑a‑box” physical copies, further fueling debate over digital ownership and market dynamics.