Sony’s PlayStation 6 is planned to launch with a detachable disc drive, carrying forward the removable-drive idea used mid-generation on the PlayStation 5, as it will allow PlayStation to offer a digital-only system and a modular physical option while reducing manufacturing and shipping costs.
Multiple anonymous sources told Insider Gaming that the detachable disc drive will be an option again: consoles sold as a digital model, a bundled “traditional console” with drive, or upgraded later by buying the add-on. Insider Gaming initially documented the detachable drive for the PS5 in a September 2022 exclusive that described the mid-generation experiment and its cost goals.
The report states that PlayStation is treating the plan as firm. Physical discs aren’t disappearing. The setup enables the company to address both markets without requiring a single hardware SKU. Company sources said PlayStation is “firm” on the detachable drive because the PlayStation 5’s add-on met internal cost and shipping targets, so repeating the approach feels commercially sensible. Rumors also suggest Sony will opt for a simpler, lighter chassis to save space and weight in shipping, and there are reports of a new PS5 revision arriving with an 825GB hard drive instead of 1TB.
Expect physical discs to stick around for the next generation, at least in some form, while Sony tries to keep manufacturing flexible and less costly during uncertain trade conditions.
Share your thoughts in the comments and tell us if modular drives make sense on X and Bluesky.
