Sony plans to stop producing physical discs for PlayStation games from 2028. That decision raises serious concerns about digital ownership, the decline of the used-games market, affordability and the simple pleasure of holding a game in your hands.
Those are all legitimate reasons to be unhappy about the shift. However, there is one much sillier consequence worth mourning: the end of new Disc Butts.
What is a Disc Butt?
A Disc Butt is a visual joke created when artwork printed on a game disc lines up with the edge of the disc. Place two fingers against the rear of the disc and, from the right angle, the character on the front appears to have a naked backside.
Bloodborne is the standout example, with its disc artwork providing an especially effective setup for the gag.
Overwatch also joined in, with artwork featuring Tracer that inspired plenty of online jokes. You can revisit the original social-media post using the approved #Blizzard, #Overwatch and #Tracer links, as well as the accompanying image.
“HAHAHAHAHAHAHA BUTTS”
— Stacey Jenkins, May 25, 2016
Far Cry: Primal and Uncharted 4 offered their own opportunities for similar finger-and-disc silliness. Further examples can be found among these alternative opportunities.
A small joke attached to a major change
Anyone who already owns these discs will still be able to use them for jokes, decoration or simple physical interaction. The concern is that, after 2028, PlayStation games will no longer create new opportunities for this particular bit of visual comedy. If reports about Xbox are accurate, its physical releases could eventually face the same fate.
It is tempting to assume publishers would avoid artwork that could be interpreted this way in future. History suggests otherwise. Given enough time, another artist or marketing team would probably create a character pose that accidentally—or deliberately—made the Disc Butt gag possible again.
The disappearing joke is obviously not the most important problem with the end of physical games. More significant concerns include losing genuine ownership of new PlayStation games after 2027, fewer bargain-bin discoveries and reduced control over how games are shared, resold or preserved.
Physical media also has a tactile appeal. A disc can be held, lent to a friend, marked, collected and, occasionally, damaged by a younger sibling. Some of those experiences are inconvenient, but they are also part of what makes games feel like real objects rather than temporary digital access.
For Australian players thinking about preserving a physical gaming setup, RETROCADE’s arcade news and features provide more to explore, while the arcade machine buying guide can help with planning a dedicated setup. Collections can also evolve through arcade parts, compact bartop arcades and virtual pinball machines.
So yes, the major issue is ownership. Butts are funny too, and the prospect of never seeing another little Disc Butt is still strangely disappointing. Bloodborne may have to carry the tradition on its own.
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