A harsh reality awaits players in 121 countries as Sony moves forward with its announced plan to end physical disc production in January 2028. Only 38% of countries currently have access to the PlayStation Store on PS6, leaving the remaining 62% entirely excluded from digital game distribution.
The global disparity in PlayStation Network (PSN) availability is not a new issue. The topic briefly surfaced in 2024 during a controversy surrounding Helldivers 2, when Sony attempted to mandate account linking. That event highlighted how many countries could not legally create PSN accounts.
While Sony ultimately reversed the account-linking requirement for Helldivers 2, the documented list of 121 excluded countries has remained unchanged, and Sony has not commented on expanding access.
Among the dozens of excluded countries are:
These regions are not tiny markets or devoid of gaming culture—they are home to millions of players. In many of these nations, physical discs are not merely a preference; they represent the only realistic method to acquire video games due to:
Eliminating physical discs effectively removes access to video games entirely for these populations.
The gaming community was quick to point out alternative workarounds currently used by players in unsupported regions, such as creating a PSN account registered to a neighboring country, linking it to a regional PayPal account, or topping up balances using virtual gift cards.
However, built-in platform restrictions and legal terms create severe obstacles for these methods:
Should Sony decide to enforce these policies more strictly, players who have built digital libraries using alternative accounts would have no legal recourse.
Amanda Torati is a linguist and postgraduate researcher who specializes in the intersection of storytelling and interactive media. With a deep fascination for the gaming ecosystem, she focuses on deconstructing game narratives and technical trends to make them accessible to players of all levels. At ABWaves Game, Amanda combines her academic background with in-depth research to deliver reviews and guides that are both precise and engaging, ensuring readers stay informed in a fast-paced digital world.
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