The Witcher 4 Set for 2028, May Skip PS Physical Release, Players Outraged

Summary

CD Projekt Red has officially announced that the highly anticipated next installment in The Witcher series (provisionally titled The Witcher 4) is scheduled for release in 2028. However, this big news is overshadowed by another industry development: Sony has confirmed that starting in 2028, its first-party and published new titles will no longer be produced as physical discs. This means The Witcher 4 may not have a physical PS version. Following the announcement, the player community reacted strongly, with a flood of comments on social media sharing a consistent demand: bring back physical editions. One player said, "I'm excited about the new game, but if there's no physical copy, I won't buy it. I'll just play my Witcher 3 disc again... At least I won't suddenly get a 'game removed' notice." Another joked, "Since games are going digital, shouldn't you rename yourselves to 'Digital Project Red'?" The incident has sparked wider discussions about the digital distribution trend in gaming. Players worry about limited purchasing freedom, loss of collectible value, and the inability to play games after services shut down. For the industry, Sony's decision and CDPR's announcement together signal that console gaming is accelerating toward an all-digital future, but players' strong attachment to physical copies cannot be ignored, which may prompt publishers to reassess their physical…