French presidential candidate Jean-Luc Mélenchon criticized Sony’s decision to end physical disc production for PlayStation games, arguing that the shift threatens consumer rights and player ownership.

In posts reacting to plans that include discs being discontinued for new PlayStation games in January 2028, Mélenchon said people will “pay without ever owning anything,” adding that there would be “no loan, no resale, [and] no guarantee” of keeping what players have paid for. He then argued that “video games are not mere merchandise” but “cultural assets,” and said the “law in force must apply to them,” calling for legislative action in response.

The coverage frames his comments as a bid to rally gamers ahead of France’s next election, with the controversy tied to broader concerns that an all-digital model makes game access time-limited and subject to platform control.