The PlayStation Disc Drive is one of the best PlayStation 5 accessories, as it allows anyone with a digital-only Slim or PS5 Pro console to still get access to physical games. You just need to remove the back console cover of the PS5 to hook it up, and you're able to play your discs as you see fit, even though you invested in a digital-only console. Magic.
However, with Sony's announcement that it's ending physical disc production for new games in 2028, that once handy accessory now feels pretty redundant. From January 2028, all new games will be available on the PlayStation Store or at retailers as "in digital formats only" and so new releases will soon be inaccessible to Disc Drive owners. Sure, new games released in 2028 will still be able to be purchased digitally, but that's still not the best consolation prize if you recently invested $79.99 / £69.99, assuming you'd have access to any upcoming games on the platform.
Before Sony's disheartening announcement, I was more than happy to recommend the official Sony Disc Drive to PS5 players. Its $79.99 (Best Buy) / £69.99 (PS Direct) price is a little higher than I would prefer for an external disc drive, but I was always a fan as it meant that physical games were accessible to more players. Including the discounts that can often come with them.
Physical games, especially where the PS5 is concerned, can be subject to alluring price markdowns, even right after launch. For example, I've been eyeing up Assassin's Creed Shadows, but its full £69.99 MSRP here in the UK was a little more than I was willing to spend at launch. As of typing, it's now £37.76 at Amazon for the disc edition of the game on the PS5, a price I'm glad I have access to, not just myself, but anyone with the official Disc Drive attached to their console.
The official PlayStation Store does have plenty of sales events of its own. If you have a PlayStation Plus membership, you can also be offered exclusive deals on certain titles. However, purely relying on a digital-only experience removes your ability to shop around, one of the reasons why I used to herald the official Disc Drive as a great option for digital PS5 Slim and PS5 Pro owners. While digital-only console owners were once locked to sticking with the PS Store, the Disc Drive opened up a new world of possibilities.
One of those possibilities is being able to borrow games from a friend. I know for a fact it has been a handy way for my friends to experience recent Triple-A titles while saving some cash. As a big physical game collector, I'm often the one they come to when they want to play new releases but are saving their cash. I've accumulated quite a collection, and it's one I'm always proud to loan to others.
Sharing new titles with those closest to me was always a nice social aspect to gaming I really enjoyed, especially as I'd eagerly await the day they'd hand it back and divulge all their favorite experiences.
The Disc Drives also allowed my friends (and myself) to pick up releases that didn't have physical copies here in the UK. Amongst my gaming shelf, I own both Slitterhead and Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name physically, despite both games being digital-only releases. The region-free playback allowed me to import Japanese copies, which played fine (including their English language options) on both my disc-edition PS5 and the official Disc Drive on my friends' consoles
The lack of future physical PS5 games isn't just bad for Disc Drive owners, as it means the likelihood of losing access to second-hand games in stores and the ability to borrow games from a friend. But it also means you've essentially wasted your money on a device that will no longer help to provide access to brand-new upcoming games that are released in 2028.
If you have a huge existing physical PS5 game backlog to get through, and that will be able to satiate your needs for a while, then I'm happy for you. You've also got 547 days until new physical PS5 games are no more, and that's still over a year's worth of playtime at your fingertips.
I used to be comfortable recommending the official Sony Disc Drive, but Sony's recent announcement has changed my tune. Now, I'd be much more eager to recommend you go off the deep end and pick up a second-hand PS2 instead. If you do, I'm sure our retro gaming expert Phil Hayton will most definitely support you on those retro-Sony endeavours.
If you want to move away to other platforms, our team has rounded up the best Nintendo Switch 2 bundle deals, the best Nintendo Switch 2 controllers, and the best Nintendo Switch 2 microSD Express cards available today.
