Sony Is NOT Cancelling Blu-ray Movie Releases
All Image Credit: Sony
In a press released dated 1/23/2025, Sony (Recording Media) announced that it will be ceasing all production of RECORDABLE Blu-ray media, NOT Pre-recorded Blu-ray and 4K UHD Blu-ray movie discs. That recordable media includes; Blu-ray disc Media, MiniDiscs, MiniDV cassettes, and MD data for recording. There is no mention of stopping pre-recorded Blu-ray movies in the release, although some outlets may have interpreted the English translation of the news as such. Here is the link to the announcement:
Here is the translation:
“Dear Valued Customer,
January 23, 2025
Sony Storage Media Solutions Inc.
Sony Marketing Inc.
Notice regarding the end of production of Blu-ray Disc media, MiniDiscs for recording, MD data for recording, and MiniDV cassettes
Thank you for your continued patronage of Sony products.
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. There will be no successor models.
We would like to express our sincere gratitude to our many customers for their patronage to date.
Discontinued model: Blu-ray disc media, recording mini discs, recording MD data, mini DV cassettes, all models
End of production: Scheduled for February 2025″
Clearly Sony is not the only company that produces blank physical media for people to burn their own discs. However, it is a sign of the decline in the ongoing use of physical media, at a time when a large percentage of movie viewers are turning more and more to online streaming and cloud storage. While it is far from the end of physical media, it is yet another “nail in its coffin”. For many, owning Blu-ray movie releases is akin to owning vinyl and even plastic CD’s. It’s that ability to choose what you want, when you want, no matter how old it is, together with the “thrill” of holding that physical media, reading the release and sleeve notes and viewing the various sleeve images and inserts.
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