Sony Abandons Physical Media

Some of Sony’s Blu-ray-related patents are starting to expire in 2026, with others lasting into 2031. That means Sony will eventually stop collecting royalties from licensed Blu-ray production. And this isn’t only about games, Blu-ray is also still used for physical movies. All of this could be linked to Sony leaving physical media If physical media disappears completely, we could eventually be stuck with whatever versions streaming services choose to offer, usually with lower bitrates and more compression.

A screenshot of a social media post discusses Sony’s Blu-ray patents expiring and the possible end of physical media, alongside a photo of Blu-ray discs and a shelf of physical media. The joke is that Sony’s move away from physical games may be driven by expiring patent royalties, while the post humorously warns that fully digital media could leave people dependent on lower-quality streaming versions. EN: A screenshot of a social media post discusses Sony’s Blu-ray patents expiring and the possible end of physical media, alongside a photo of Blu-ray discs and a shelf of physical media. The joke is that Sony’s move away from physical games may be driven by expiring patent royalties, while the post humorously warns that fully digital media could leave people dependent on lower-quality streaming versions.

• @gentoomemes / 22043 2026-09-18