Sony’s announcement that all PlayStation discs will disappear by 2028 is less a surprise than a logical endpoint of trends that have been brewing for more than a decade. The policy recalls the controversial “online pass” era of the late 2000s and early 2010s, when publishers such as EA, Ubisoft and even PlayStation itself bundled a one‑time code with physical copies to unlock multiplayer features.

How the Online Pass Worked

The physical game shipped with a paper slip containing a unique code. Players redeemed the code on the console’s online store, granting access to the game’s online services. Because the code was single‑use, anyone who borrowed the disc or bought it on the secondary market needed to purchase a separate pass to play online. Major titles like Battlefield 3, Dead Space 2 and Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit were subject to this restriction, as were Ubisoft’s “Uplay Passport” and Sony’s “PSN Pass” for titles such as Resistance 3 and Uncharted 3.

Publishers’ Justifications and Consumer Backlash

When pressed, publishers sidestepped the issue of used games and emphasized the “premium value” of their online services. In 2010, EA Sports senior VP (now CEO) Andrew Wilson defended the Tiger Woods PGA Tour 11 pass by citing a “significant investment” in online infrastructure that should be reserved for paying customers. Sony echoed this sentiment in 2011, with Uncharted 3 director Justin Richmond noting that server maintenance and revenue needs required a PSN Pass. A Battlefield 3 producer bluntly stated, “We would rather have you buy a new game than a used game because buying a used game is only a cost to us.”

Phase‑Out and the Rise of Digital‑First Strategies

Consumer outrage was swift; by 2013 the online‑pass model was largely abandoned. EA cited player feedback, while Ubisoft admitted the passport system was “no longer the best approach.” In the meantime, Sony embraced the used‑game market for the PS4, rejecting the DRM tactics Microsoft initially considered for Xbox One. Fast‑forward to today, digital purchases dominate, giving Sony data‑driven confidence to retire physical media without fearing a sales collapse.

Implications for the Future

Current market dynamics enable platforms to revisit the original intent of the online pass—tightening ecosystem control—through battle passes, micro‑transactions and now, disc‑to‑digital conversion programs such as the one Microsoft is reportedly reviving for Xbox. These moves deliver a heavy blow to the aftermarket for used games and signal a future where ownership is increasingly cloud‑based and less tangible. As the industry inches toward a fully digital paradigm, nostalgia for the simple “slip in the box” may become a relic of a bygone era.