- Sony (NYSE:SONY) announced it will cease production of recordable Blu-ray Disc media in February 2025.
- This decision also affects MiniDiscs for recording, MD data for recording, and MiniDV cassettes, bringing an end to nearly two decades of production
- With the public increasingly favouring streaming services over physical media, commercial sales have rapidly declined, making it seem unsustainable for Sony to continue its optical media business
- Sony stock (NYSE:SONY) opened trading at US$20.91
It’s a big move that marks the end of an era.
Sony (NYSE:SONY) announced it will cease production of recordable Blu-ray Disc media in February 2025.
This decision also affects MiniDiscs for recording, MD data for recording, and MiniDV cassettes, bringing an end to nearly two decades of production.
Sony had already halted the production of recordable consumer Blu-ray and optical disks in mid-2024, retaining production lines for business and corporate clients until it became unprofitable. However, with the public increasingly favouring streaming services over physical media, commercial sales have rapidly declined, making it seem unsustainable for Sony to continue its optical media business.
“We will end production of all models of Blu-ray Disc media, MiniDiscs for recording, MD data for recording, and MiniDV cassettes as of February 2025,” the news release from Sony stated. “There will be no successor models.”
The first Blu-ray disc prototype was introduced in 2000 as a successor to the DVD and competed against Toshiba’s HD DVD. Both formats became publicly available in 2006, but Blu-ray emerged victorious in the format wars, thanks to Sony’s partnerships with film studios and the inclusion of Blu-ray technology in the PlayStation 3.
While ownership of optical disc drives (ODDs) is dwindling, many users now store important files using cloud storage, which often comes with a monthly cost and potential security issues. Some users and organizations prefer hard drives, which typically have a lifespan of about five years, necessitating regular data migration to avoid loss.
The announcement sparked anger among physical media fans, with many expressing concerns about the imminent death of Blu-ray discs. However, it is important to note the distinction between home-recordable media (BD-R and BD-RE discs) and professionally replicated Blu-ray movies (BD-ROM) sold in stores. The latter is still unaffected by Sony’s decision to phase out home-recordable discs.
Movies and TV shows are one thing, but what about Sony’s other big business, video games? Mat Piscatella, the executive director and video game industry analyst at Circana wrote an interesting post on Blue Sky looking at the accelerated rate of decline in U.S. physical video game software spending.
As the digital age continues to evolve, Sony’s decision reflects the broader shift towards streaming and digital storage solutions, signaling the end of an era for physical media enthusiasts.
Sony Corp. is one of the most comprehensive entertainment companies in the world, with a portfolio that encompasses electronics, music, motion pictures, mobile, gaming, robotics and financial services.
Sony stock (NYSE:SONY) opened trading 0.6 per cent higher at US$20.91 3 but lost 2 cents last week.
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