Sony to repurpose PlayStation disc plant for optical microlens production

Sony’s dedicated disc‑manufacturing division is set to wind down its operations, according to a report from Austria’s ORF Salzburg. Dietmar Tanzer, president of Sony DADC, disclosed that the Thalgau plant in Austria currently produces 600,000 optical discs each day, with half destined for PlayStation consoles. The facility, which also serves as the headquarters for Sony’s disc‑making business and is the company’s sole wholly owned disc factory, will reduce output to just 10 percent of that volume by 2028. To accommodate the shift, all 300 workers at the plant will be retrained for production of optical microlenses, a technology that aligns with Sony’s broader move away from physical media.

The transition reflects a strategic response to the declining demand for game discs as digital distribution and streaming become dominant in the gaming market. By repurposing its workforce and focusing on microlens manufacturing, Sony aims to preserve jobs while adapting its manufacturing capabilities to emerging optical technologies. The change marks a significant step in the company’s long‑term plan to phase out traditional disc formats across its entertainment platforms.