End of an era the historic PlayStation factory that manufactured 24 billion gaming discs is already being turned into a micro-optics lab, just days after Sony announced its digital push

Date:
Fri, 03 Jul 2026 14:45:33 +0000

Description:
Sony is losing no time in figuring out what's next for its massive
disc-making plant in Thalgau, Austria.

FULL STORY ======================================================================Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Reddit Pinterest Flipboard Threads Email Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Subscribe to our newsletter Sony is already repurposing its Austrian disc-making factory It's the only physical media plant of Sony's that's left Existing staff will be retained to work with micro optics We're still reeling from Sony's announcement earlier this week that it will stop releasing PlayStation games on physical discs from the start of 2028 and now there's news that Sony 's last remaining physical media factory is already being repurposed.

According to ORF Salzburg (via The Verge and Google Translate), production at the Austrian plant is going to drop to around 10% of its current levels by 2028. The factory currently makes 600,000 blank Blu-rays every day (half of which are used for PlayStation games), and Sony has made some 26.4 billion discs in total across its sites. The existing 300 staff are going to be kept on though, as per Dietmar Tanzer, CEO of Sony DADC (Digital Audio Disc Corporation). They'll be retrained in micro optics squeezing optical components into the smallest spaces possible. Latest Videos From Watch full video here:

Instead of discs, the plant's assembly lines will be producing optical microlenses instead. One of the uses of these elements mentioned in the
report is for projecting car turning signals on to the street surface, but there are a multitude of potential applications. 'We own nothing now' This will become an increasingly rare sight (Image credit: Future) The report also quotes Markus Streibl, head of Micro Optics at Sony DADC, who says that the company recently invested 30 million (about $34 million / 26 million / AU$49 million) in the tech as it looks to develop this part of its business. You
may like Ex-PlayStation boss calls Sony's plan to kill physical disc production 'fairly dramatic' and remembers a time when 'digital sales were zero percent because we didn't have a digital market' 'I will quit buying games' Sony is killing physical discs in 2028 and now unhappy fans are concerned about what it means for game ownership Sony's physical game disc elimination may ruin the future of gaming

As spotted by The Verge, there's evidence that the plant in Austria has been making microlenses since at least as far back as 2024. These small components are actually produced on discs, so there'll be some crossover in terms of equipment and processes.

While Sony seems immediately ready to move on and look to the future, many of us are having a less easy time moving on: gamers are promising to quit the PlayStation platform over concerns about what these means for game ownership ("we literally own nothing now" was a comment left by one disgruntled user). Get daily insight, inspiration and deals in your inbox Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more. Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands Receive email from us on behalf of our
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The news has tempered some of the excitement around the opening up of GTA 6 pre-orders, and it also means the PlayStation 6 is highly unlikely to have a disc drive built in. Sony has also announced the closure of the PS3 and Vita stores at the same time . Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our expert news, reviews, and opinion in your feeds. Today's best gaming deals Microsoft Xbox Series X 479 View See all prices
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Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/gaming/end-of-an-era-the-historic-playstation-factor y-that-manufactured-24-billion-gaming-discs-is-already-being-turned-into-a-mic ro-optics-lab-just-days-after-sony-announced-its-digital-push


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