Months after announcing its departure from physical PS5 games in 2028, it looks like Sony just signed the death warrant for another physical media stalwart. The UBP-X700 standalone Blu-ray player will be phased out starting from today, reports Japanese partnered retailer Kunkoku, with only the PS5 Disc Edition remaining in the brand's Blu-ray repertoire.
Recent trends have seen physical media on the rise, with vinyl shelves also now welcoming CDs, DVDs, and even VHS in the homes of those fed up with current streaming service offerings. Coming in the same week Xbox announced its own refinements to streaming pricing, those tired of paying for media they never own will have some new battles to fight in the near future.
As originally noted by FlatPanelsHD, who broke the story earlier today, Sony's departure from the Blu-ray market leaves only Panasonic in charge of mainstream brand offerings. Remaining stock of the 4K UBP-X700 is holding firm at $328 at Amazon while Panasonic's own UB420 4K player comes in at $299.99 (was $369.99). While supplies are still kicking about, there's not much of a price difference between the two brands, though Panasonic's cheaper HD options can undercut Sony at $117.99 (Amazon).
This is the 4K Blu-ray player you'll be looking at when Sony's final model leaves the shelves. It's one to keep an eye on in upcoming Black Friday offers as well. While today's $70 discount seems sturdy, it's been available for as little as $249.99 last year. This is one of the lowest prices of 2026 so far, but we could see an additional $50-or-so next month.
Compare that to the $649.99 cost of a PS5 Disc Edition console, and even those previously sitting firm in Sony's entertainment camp should be jumping ship. Yes, gamers will get the full benefits of the PS5 system (in disc game format, while we're still lucky), but ultimately spending double the price of Panasonic's 4K player if you haven't already been interested enough in Sony's games to warrant the upgrade is going to be difficult to justify.
The removal of Sony's UBP-X700 isn't surprising, but that doesn't make the brand's culling of physical media hurt less. It's more an additional nail in an already pretty secure coffin than an extraordinary business move. While Blu-ray and DVD sales have seen a steady decline since the rise of streaming services, those pushing back against the domination of Netflix, Hulu, HBO Max, Disney+, and all the other subscription names you see on your bank statement every month are growing in number.
It's not just a TikTok trend; collecting and curating owned physical media is a viable step off the wheels of streamers. With Sony setting out its clear priorities, it seems it's down to its competitors to keep those discs spinning.
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