Pre-orders have opened for PlayStation: The First 30 Years, a physical book honoring the history of the video game giant, but fans aren’t exactly in the mood to celebrate. The book’s announcement comes as Sony faces continued criticism for its decision to cut disc production, leading to confusion over the new physical release and an influx of “No disc, no buy” responses.
The book itself is a collaboration between PlayStation and Read-Only Memory, a UK-based publisher focused on “premium” games and world-building books. A widely available standard edition is priced at $125, while a deluxe edition, priced at $325, will only be available in 1,994 copies. Both editions are now available for pre-order exclusively from read-only memory, and will ship in November.
According to the official listing, the 400-page book “is the definitive visual chronicle of Sony’s world-changing video game console, marking its 30th anniversary with unprecedented access to the company’s archives of R&D prototypes, concept sketches and development models.” It collects “insights from the engineers and designers who shaped PlayStation’s identity”, including the “Father of PlayStation” Ken Kutaragi, original DualShock designer Teiyu Goto, and PS5 lead designer Yujin Morisawa.
Preview images show early designs for DualShock controllers and PlayStation consoles, complete with beautiful disc drives.
Fans were quick to point out the curious decision to celebrate the gaming brand’s history with a physical media release. “Just selling collectibles and removing what we actually want to collect,” one X user said with a streak of disk emojis. “Just to be clear… You support physical books, but not physical games? replied another.
Earlier this year, Sony announced that it would phase out production of discs for PlayStation consoles starting in 2028. Despite immediate backlash, Sony stood by its decision. But gamers refuse to back down and are taking over the comments sections on just about everything PlayStation related.
While the online reaction is strong, it remains to be seen whether it will affect future launches of physical collectibles, digital games, or even PS6s. Ken Kutaragi, who appears in the new book, recently supported the studio’s decision, acknowledging that “physical discs have become a metaphor for ‘owning’ games” but ultimately viewing the decision to scale back production as “economically reasonable.”
As PlayStation has seen a continued decline in physical disc sales, critics argue that “ownership” is an essential part of gaming communities. Building your physical game collection has long been a source of pride for any PlayStation, Xbox or Nintendo fan, while also allowing for sharing and resale.
Former PlayStation boss Shawn Layden spoke out in one voice against the business move, saying: “If you can’t sell something, that means you don’t own anything. If you don’t own it, then what are you buying?” As PlayStation continues to look back on its 30-year history, it’s clear that this decision will define its future.
Blythe (she/her) is an Audience Development Coordinator at IGN who spends way too much time on character customization screens and searching for collectibles.
Gn tech
