Physical Disc Media Has a Finite Lifespan Most Consumers May Not Realize

A discussion on Hacker News raises questions about public awareness of the limited lifespan of physical disc media. The conversation was prompted by Sony's decision to move away from disc-based games, but the concern extends to all optical disc formats. Many consumers may assume that owning a physical disc guarantees long-term access to its content. In reality, discs are susceptible to degradation over time, a phenomenon sometimes called 'disc rot.' The thread questions whether buyers understand that discs cannot simply be stored indefinitely and expected to remain fully playable.