disk drive that uses laser light or electromagnetic waves to read or write data
WIRED Oct 19
How the Xbox’s Disc-to-Digital Program Works: Microsoft is letting players digitize their game discs for free, but don't sell your physical collection just yet.
wired.com/story/xbox-disc-to-digital/
Jailbroken PS5s Can Now Emulate PS2 Games Using Physical Discs: Support for PlayStation 3 discs appears to be on the way too
kotaku.com/jailbroken-ps5s-can-now-emulate-ps2-games-using-physical-discs-2000743781
The Swiss army knife of USB docking DVD drives is on sale, also available with built-in M.2 SSD slot or SATA hard drive dock — $28 for DVD writer and hub ...
tomshardware.com/pc-components/storage/the-swiss-army-knife-of-usb-docking-dvd-drives-is-on-sale-also-available-with-built-in-m-2-ssd-slot-or-sata-hard-drive-dock-usd28-for-dvd-writer-and-hub-usd33-gets-an-added-sata-dock-or-pay-usd39-for
Notebookcheck Oct 12
PS5 can now play original PS2 discs – but there's a catch: A homebrew developer has managed to make original PlayStation 2 DVDs playable on the PS5 ...
notebookcheck.net/PS5-can-now-play-original-PS2-discs-but-there-s-a-catch.1421922.0.html
'Wednesday' Seasons 1-2 DVD Box Set 31% Off at Walmart: Own both seasons of Wednesday on DVD for just $19.99 at Walmart. This 6-disc box set saves you ...
theinventory.com/wednesday-seasons-1-2-dvd-6-disc-box-set-b1818fd6
en.gamegpu.com Sep 28
Xbox Helix will retain support for physical discs from previous Xbox generations.
en.gamegpu.com/news/zhelezo/xbox-helix-sokhranit-podderzhku-fizicheskikh-diskov-ot-proshlykh-pokolenij-xbox
I thought all Blu-ray drives were the same until I found the perfect one for ripping physical media to Plex
xda-developers.com/i-thought-all-blu-ray-drives-were-the-same-until-i-found-the-perfect-one-for-ripping-physical-media-to-plex/
Wccftech Sep 07
RPCS3 Can Now Play PS3 Games Directly From Physical Discs On PC, Including Linux And macOS
wccftech.com/rpcs3-can-now-play-ps3-games-directly-from-physical-discs-on-pc/
Xbox’s clever disc-to-digital feature was 15 years in the making: Microsoft’s controversial Xbox One bets are paying off more than a decade later.
theverge.com/tech/996826/microsoft-xbox-disc-to-digital-history-notepad
VideoCardz Sep 17
One of PlayStation 2’s last hardware secrets has been cracked: A PlayStation 2 MechaCon security chip has finally been dumped after 26 years ...
videocardz.com/newz/one-of-playstation-2s-last-hardware-secrets-has-been-cracked
Windows Central Aug 26
Xbox's disc-to-digital program goes live for Insiders on Monday — Here's how it works
windowscentral.com/gaming/xbox/xboxs-disc-to-digital-program-goes-live-for-insiders-on-monday-heres-how-it-works
The Witcher 4 Will Officially Have Physical Edition: Expect more GTA 6-style code in boxes going forward.
thegamer.com/the-witcher-4-physical-edition-confirmed/
Notebookcheck Aug 26
Project Helix and PS6 consoles may be all-digital because of disc drive shortage: A new problem threatens disc support on the PS6 and Project Helix ...
notebookcheck.net/Project-Helix-and-PS6-consoles-may-be-all-digital-because-of-disc-drive-shortage.1379909.0.html
Disc Drive Supply Chain Is Reportedly "Collapsing": It's not looking good for physical media as a whole, as we may be seeing less disc drives in the future too.
thegamer.com/xbox-digital-disc-supply-chain-collapsing/
New Atlas Aug 19
Blu-ray burner doubles as USB hub and card reader: The BluHub is a 9-in-1 device offering Blu-ray burning, USB hub, and card reader capabilities for modern ...
newatlas.com/consumer-tech/bluhub-blu-ray-read-write-usb-sd-tf/
Sony’s Plan to Kill Physical PlayStation Discs Faces Gamer Backlash - CNET: Gamers are planning a boycott called PSBlackout for the week of Aug. 23.
cnet.com/tech/gaming/sonys-plan-to-kill-physical-playstation-discs-faces-gamer-backlash/
VideoCardz Aug 06
Sony adds 2028 physical game warning to new PS5 retail boxes: New PS5 packaging includes a multilingual notice about Sony’s January 2028 disc cutoff ...
videocardz.com/newz/sony-adds-2028-physical-game-warning-to-new-ps5-retail-boxes
PlayStation and the end of the disc: Sony responds to the backlash for the first time
stadt-bremerhaven.de/playstation-und-das-ende-der-disc-sony-aeussert-sich-erstmals-zum-shitstorm/
PSX Extreme Jul 23
Update: Don’t Kill The Disc Petition Crosses 335,000 Verified Signatures | PSX Extreme
psxextreme.com/news/update-dont-kill-the-disc-petition-crosses-335000-verified-signatures/
14 clever USB-C gadgets that do much more than charge your phone: By the end, you'll wonder why you didn't already have these nifty USB-C gadgets.
pcworld.com/article/2779758/these-14-clever-usb-c-gadgets-do-far-more-than-charge-your-phone.html
Boutique DIY Hi-Fi solution lets you repurpose your old IDE optical drives as a standalone audio player — $190 CD-ROM Player 01 features a laser-cut enclosure ...
tomshardware.com/pc-components/enclosures/boutique-diy-hi-fi-solution-lets-you-repurpose-your-old-ide-optical-drives-as-a-standalone-audio-player-usd190-cd-rom-player-01-features-a-laser-cut-enclosure-and-a-custom-pcb
Even KFC Is Dunking on Sony as the Dust Settles on PlayStation's Shock Decision to Kill Physical Game Discs
ign.com/articles/even-kfc-is-dunking-on-sony-as-the-dust-settles-on-playstations-shock-decision-to-kill-physical-game-discs
Key FactsSony Ends Physical PlayStation Games by 2028
Jul 4, 2026 · Reading time: ~45 sec.
Summary created with AI assistance · Source: bangkokpost.com
Summary created with AI assistance · Source: bangkokpost.com
- Sony will stop producing physical PlayStation game discs from January 2028, shifting fully to digital sales.
- Previously released disc-based games will remain accessible, but new releases will be sold exclusively via the PlayStation Store.
- This decision follows a steep decline in physical sales, which accounted for only 3% of software revenue in 2025.
- The PlayStation Store for legacy systems like PS3 and Vita will close in Thailand by July 2027.
By eliminating physical discs, value is redirected back into full-priced digital sales for new games or transactions vanish entirely, Both outcomes are far more lucrative for Sony than allowing the second-hand market to thrive.— Rhys Elliott, industry analyst at Alinea Analytics, commenting on the shift toward digital and its impact on retailers
PS5 Disc Drive purchase cap predates Sony's disc cutoff — 'high demand' order limit has been on the store page since at least March 2025
tomshardware.com/video-games/playstation/ps5-disc-drive-purchase-cap-predates-sonys-disc-cutoff
Rockstar can charge $100 for GTA VI if it wants, but I can't forgive what it did to the physical edition
xda-developers.com/gta-vi-ultimate-edition-not-the-problem-but-its-empty-physical-edition-is/
PlayStation’s Physical Media-Free Future Isn’t Just Concerning, It’s Offensive: PlayStation games are going fully digital in 2028. That's not just concerning for ...
ign.com/articles/playstations-physical-media-free-future-isnt-just-concerning-its-offensive
Sony is scrapping discs - | and some PlayStation fans are drawing a clear line: Sony will end disc production for new PlayStation games starting in January 2028 ...
pcgameshardware.de/Playstation-5-Konsolen-265878/News/Sony-Playstation-ohne-Disc-Community-Reaktionen-1547014/
Sony’s digital-only plans are awful and the PS5 refund system is the worst part: Fans are already furious at Sony's annoucement to stop releasing PS5 games on ...
metro.co.uk/2026/07/02/sonys-digital-only-plans-awful-ps5-refund-system-worst-part-29006765/
Disc drives and release dates: Sony just told us two major things about the PlayStation 6
eurogamer.net/playstation-6-implications-sony-end-of-physical-media
Players find it strange that the PS5 can't play CDs, while the 20-year-old PS3 could - | but it's not that strange at all
gamestar.de/artikel/ps3-cd-player-ps5-konsolen,3455474.html
SuperStation One: PS1 as an FPGA game console without emulation: Retro Remake delivers the SuperStation One, the first affordable FPGA game console in the PSone ...
pcgameshardware.de/PlayStation-Konsolen-254906/News/SuperStation-One-SuperDock-Technik-Preis-Vorstellung-1546556/
Score a discounted Xbox console before the prices jump: Dell has the 512GB Xbox Series S listed for $350, and Walmart is selling the 1TB Series X with a disc ...
theverge.com/gadgets/957170/xbox-series-s-x-prime-day-deal-sale
Customer pays for RTX 5070, but Amazon only delivers an old DVD burner: Anyone ordering expensive PC hardware online expects high-end technology in the package ...
winfuture.de/news,159488.html
Like New PlayStation 5 Slim Disc Edition Consoles Are Going for $499 for Amazon Prime Day
ign.com/articles/playstation-5-disc-edition-console-deal-amazon-prime-day-sale
I thought Blu-rays and DVDs were obsolete until I discovered how long they can preserve data
xda-developers.com/i-thought-blu-ray-dvds-were-obsolete-but-i-discovered-how-long-they-last/
blog.amigaguru.com May 29
The Insane Trip Of Going Back In Time " Get Boinged " - The AmigaGuru Gamer Blog
blog.amigaguru.com/the-insane-trip-of-going-back-in-time-get-boinged/
Xbox "Positron": Service to allow digitization of physical games: Microsoft is possibly preparing for a purely digital console future. A reportedly planned ...
winfuture.de/news,158695.html
Wccftech May 13
Xbox Project Helix May Ditch the Disc Drive, But a Secret ‘Positron’ Program Could Save Your Physical Library
wccftech.com/xbox-project-helix-ditch-disc-drive/
The first CD recorder was shockingly expensive – guess how much: The first commercial audio CD recorder wasn't built for consumers. Long before CD burners ...
techspot.com/trivia/85-first-cd-recorder-shockingly-expensive-guess-how-much/
Remember DAEMON Tools? It Was Hacked to Serve Windows Malware: The popular virtual drive software confirms a 'supply chain security incident' after security ...
pcmag.com/news/remember-daemon-tools-it-was-hacked-to-serve-windows-malware
Japan: Two manufacturers refuse to let Blu-ray die yet: The major manufacturers have long since pulled out, but two Japanese companies refuse to let the Blu-ray ...
winfuture.de/news,158080.html
Amazon’s 3 for $33 Blu-Ray Bonanza Is Back and Better Than Ever, Build Your Movie Collection for Less
gizmodo.com/amazons-3-for-33-blu-ray-bonanza-is-back-and-better-than-ever-build-your-movie-collection-for-less-2000747177
Use of AI in the Playstation 6: 1TB SSD without a drive?: Sony is apparently working on a new texture compression for the PS6. Initial indications point to the ...
pcgameshardware.de/Playstation-6-Konsolen-281371/News/KI-Sony-SSD-ohne-Laufwerk-1524112/
RTS Legend Starcraft Turns 28 Today: “A Game for the Ages”: Twenty-eight years ago today, Blizzard released Starcraft, an RTS that is now considered legendary.
pcgameshardware.de/Starcraft-Spiel-34647/News/Geburtstag-1524095/
Another major Japanese electronics firm exits the Blu-ray market — Elecom publishes notice of termination of all external drives
tomshardware.com/pc-components/storage/another-major-japanese-electronics-firm-exits-the-blu-ray-market-elecom-publishes-notice-of-termination-of-nine-external-drives
DVD-RW burner: Hobbyist tests how many times DVDs can be written - | Golem.de: Ein halbes Jahr lang brannte der DIY-Enthusiast DVDs. Nur ein Modell hat mehr als ...
golem.de/news/dvd-rw-brenner-bastler-testet-wie-oft-sich-dvds-beschreiben-lassen-2603-206540.html
This Xbox One S mod hides a full Windows gaming PC within the original shell — sleek design retains a working optical drive
tomshardware.com/pc-components/case-mods/this-xbox-one-s-mod-hides-a-full-windows-gaming-pc-within-the-original-shell-sleek-design-retains-a-working-optical-drive
WindowsCentral Feb 10
This Xbox One S hides a full gaming rig
Alternate headline: Next-gen Xbox is here early!
Someone just turned an Xbox One S into a full gaming PC — complete ... Show more
Wccftech Jan 09
A Reddit user stumbled upon an abandoned PC dumped in the woods near his grandfather’s farm and walked away with a free 160GB hard drive, RAM, and a CD reader ... Show more
From the IAmA community on Reddit
From the IAmA community on Reddit
You, too, can turn a USB port into an SNES cartridge reader with this cool dock: It even comes with its own emulator, but you can use your own if you prefer.
xda-developers.com/you-too-can-turn-a-usb-port-into-an-snes-cartridge-reader-with-this-cool-dock/
The only Core Ultra 265U laptop with a VGA port and a DVD writer just launched — and yes, it HAS to be in Japan
techradar.com/pro/the-only-core-ultra-265u-laptop-with-a-vga-port-and-a-dvd-writer-just-launched-and-yes-it-has-to-be-in-japan
Best PS5 deals post-Cyber Monday and Black Friday 2025, on PS5 Pro, Portal and more
independent.co.uk/tech/best-ps5-black-friday-cyber-monday-deals-b2875684.html
PlayStation 5 can technically be a CD-player, if you’ve got a tinkerer’s heart: The PS5 refuses to play standard CDs by design. But with a unique optical drive ...
digitaltrends.com/gaming/playstation-5-can-technically-be-a-cd-player-if-youve-got-a-tinkerers-heart/
Sony Offloads PS5 Disc Edition Bundle with NBA 2K26, Now Cheaper Than Digital Model Alone
kotaku.com/sony-offloads-ps5-disc-edition-bundle-with-nba-2k26-now-cheaper-than-digital-model-alone-2000648079
PlayStation 5 Black Friday deals: PS5 Digital Edition and Disc Console drop to record-low prices
portsmouth.co.uk/recommended/ps5-deals-playstation-console-discount-5411672
VideoCardz Nov 21 25
PlayStation 5 now available starting at $399 for Black Friday: Sony PS5 and PS5 Pro price cuts for Black Friday 2025 are now live Sony has officially launched ...
videocardz.com/newz/playstation-5-now-available-at-399-for-black-friday
Sony Quietly Offloads Millions of PS5 Slim With Disc Drive, Now Selling at All-Time Low on Amazon
kotaku.com/sony-quietly-offloads-millions-of-ps5-slim-with-disc-drive-now-selling-at-all-time-low-on-amazon-2000646168
PlayStation 5 Black Friday deals: PS5 Digital Edition and Disc Console drop to record-low prices
peterboroughtoday.co.uk/recommended/ps5-deals-playstation-console-discount-5411672
It's almost 2026, and Fujitsu is doing its best to save optical disks - the A77-K3 is a 16-inch 13th-gen Core i5 laptop with a DVD drive
techradar.com/pro/its-almost-2026-and-fujitsu-is-doing-its-best-to-save-optical-disks-the-a77-k3-is-a-16-inch-13th-gen-core-i5-laptop-with-a-dvd-drive
Laptops with Blu-ray and DVD drives? Yup, Fujitsu is doing it: The latest FMV Note A laptops aren't exactly sleek or top-end, but if you want a laptop with an ...
pcworld.com/article/2954665/laptops-with-blu-ray-and-dvd-drives-yup-fujitsu-is-doing-it.html
VideoCardz Oct 28 25
Fujitsu FVM Note laptops feature optical drives, Copilot+ buttons and Intel Raptor Lake, AMD Rembrandt APUs
videocardz.com/newz/fujitsu-fvm-note-laptops-feature-optical-drives-copilot-buttons-and-intel-raptor-lake-amd-rembrandt-apus
13 clever USB-C gadgets you didn't know you needed: By the end, you'll wonder why you didn't already have these nifty USB-C gadgets.
pcworld.com/article/2779758/13-clever-usb-c-gadgets-you-didnt-know-you-needed.html
Cooler Master's new PC case with 5.25-inch drive bay launches in Japan as optical drive boom hits due to Windows 10 upgrade cycle — MasterBox CM695 is ...
tomshardware.com/pc-components/pc-cases/cooler-masters-new-pc-case-with-5-25-inch-drive-bay-launches-in-japan-as-residents-continue-to-embrace-optical-drives-masterbox-cm695-is-unabashedly-towering-and-addresses-the-countrys-reluctance-to
Optical drive demand surges amid Windows 10 retirement — Japanese users switching to Windows 11 are buying up Blu-ray drives
tomshardware.com/software/windows/optical-drive-demand-surges-amid-windows-10-retirement-japanese-users-switching-to-windows-11-are-buying-up-blu-ray-drives
Fujitsu is still putting Blu-ray drives in laptops – and people in Japan still want them
techspot.com/news/110005-fujitsu-latest-laptop-proves-internal-optical-drives-arent.html
Switch to Windows 11: Optical drives almost sold out in Japan - Golem.de: In Akihabara, the shelves for 5.25-inch optical drives are empty. The reason: people ...
golem.de/news/umstieg-auf-windows-11-optische-laufwerke-in-japan-fast-ausverkauft-2510-201410.html
Fujitsu defies convention with optical drives in new AMD Ryzen laptop — Blu-ray disk drive clings onto life in Japanese market
tomshardware.com/pc-components/storage/fujitsu-defies-convention-with-optical-drives-in-new-amd-ryzen-laptop-blu-ray-disk-drive-clings-onto-life-in-japanese-market
Cult of Mac Oct 19 25
Today in Apple history: The forgotten first Mac with an internal CD-ROM: On October 19, 1992, Apple launched the Mac IIvx, bringing a key new component for the ...
cultofmac.com/apple-history/mac-iivx-launch-date
Nintendo made a huge mistake: Former PlayStation games boss finds it "helpful": Would the PlayStation even exist without this strategic error by Nintendo?
pcgames.de/Nintendo-Firma-15624/News/erste-playstation-nintendo-super-nes-cd-laufwerk-1484142/
Investigation into burglar who died shortly after release from Leeds prison: An investigation has been launched after a former inmate died following his release ...
yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/news/crime/investigation-into-burglar-who-died-shortly-after-release-from-prison-5346423
Paid articlePaywall A new rumor claims that Sony is planning on releasing the PS6 with a detachable disc drive just like the PS5 Slim and PS5 Pro.#playstation #ps6 #gaming #videogames #technews
Best PlayStation 5 deals for December 2025: get a PS5 Slim for less than £300 - Which?
which.co.uk/news/article/best-black-friday-playstation-5-deals-aeOtl6L1uUsM
Best PlayStation 5 deals for December 2025: get a PS5 Slim for less than £300 - Which?
which.co.uk/news/article/best-black-friday-playstation-5-deals-aeOtl6L1uUsM