Sony exits the UHD Blu-ray player market for good

Published: 21:16, 22 October 2026
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Sony
Sony exits the UHD Blu-ray player market for good
PlayStation 5 will be the last piece of Sony's hardware that will be able to play Blu-ray films.

Key Points from the Article

  • Sony has discontinued its last standalone UHD Blu-ray player (UBP-X700/K) in Japan with no replacement planned
  • The PS5 is now Sony's only device capable of playing UHD Blu-ray discs, but lacks Dolby Vision support for full HDR experience
  • Sony announced that physical PlayStation game disc production will end in 2028, facing significant consumer backlash
  • The UBP-X700/K was only on the market for 17 months before discontinuation
  • Sony's exit from standalone players suggests future PlayStation consoles may not include disc drives as standard
PlayStation 5 will be the last piece of Sony's hardware that will be able to play Blu-ray films.

Sony Japan ended shipments of the UBP-X700/K today, October 22, with no successor announced. The PS5 now stands as the company’s sole UHD Blu-ray playback device, but it does not support Dolby Vision.

Sony has quietly exited the standalone UHD Blu-ray player market. The company ended shipments of the UBP-X700/K in Japan today, October 22, according to a Japanese blog and Sony retailer Kunkoku. The player’s listing on Sony Japan’s online store now reads “Out of stock. This item will not be restocked.” No replacement or successor has been announced.

The UBP-X700/K launched in May 2025 and had been on the market for just 17 months, making it a short-lived final entry for the product line. It was already the last standalone UHD Blu-ray player Sony was selling anywhere, following the earlier discontinuation of the UBP-X800M2. With it gone, the PlayStation 5 is now Sony’s only remaining device capable of playing UHD Blu-ray discs. That is a notable caveat: the PS5 is primarily a game console and does not support Dolby Vision, meaning it falls short of what a dedicated player offers home cinema enthusiasts who want the full HDR experience.

Sony
Abandoning the UHD Blu-ray player market, Sony sends a strong message that PS5 will definitely be the last console to feature physical disc readers.
Abandoning the UHD Blu-ray player market, Sony sends a strong message that PS5 will definitely be the last console to feature physical disc readers.

The timing adds another layer to Sony’s already complicated relationship with physical media. Just weeks ago, the company confirmed that production of physical PlayStation game discs will cease from 2028, drawing significant backlash from players who rely on disc-based ownership. 

Now, with the last standalone UHD Blu-ray player gone, the PS5 disc edition becomes the only Sony device that can play physical 4K media at all, in a somewhat ironic twist. A console that the company is actively steering away from discs is now the last line of defence for anyone who wants to play a 4K Blu-ray film on Sony hardware. Whether the PS5’s successor will even include a disc drive as standard remains an open question; however, if we can learn anything from this Sony's move, it is highly unlikely.

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