Sony Group Corp. announced it would cut about 250 jobs at its main recordable media manufacturing center in northeastern Japan.. The change, which will also include offering early retirement packages to its employees, comes amid a decline in demand for traditional storage formats such as Blu-ray discsaccording to sources close to the matter.

The manufacturing base in Tagajo, Miyagi Prefecture, currently has a workforce of approximately 670. Additionally, the electronics and entertainment conglomerate will gradually cease production of optical disc storage products, including Blu-ray Discs.

This announcement has significant implications for the anime market, which has relied heavily on Blu-ray as a vital means of distribution and collection. Anime Blu-ray Discs are important to fans not only for the superior video quality and bonus features they offer, but also as collectible items with sentimental and tangible value.Anime fans often enjoy special editions that include additional material such as artwork, staff commentary, and exclusive content.

However, the Blu-ray market has seen a notable decline with the proliferation of streaming platforms, which have changed the way audiences consume content. Services like Netflix, Crunchyroll, and Funimation have made it easier to access a vast library of anime, reducing the need for physical formats.

This transformation in consumption directly affects the anime industry, as Blu-ray/DVD sales are considered a crucial source of revenue that directly benefits the studios. Sales of these physical media were often used as an indicator of success and could determine the viability of future productions. The cessation of record production could therefore have a negative impact on the economy of anime studios, making it difficult to finance new series and projects..

A possible solution to these consequences is that anime studios and streaming platforms are developing more collaborative business models that allow for greater revenue distribution. This could include exclusivity agreements, profit sharing and creation of exclusive content for streaming platforms. What is more, Offering digital goods, such as virtual collectible editions or interactive experiences, could offset the decline in Blu-ray sales..

• «There is no other way, I have never seen anyone who has them».
• «Sony will not abandon Blu-ray».
• «Are they going to abandon the Blu-ray they forced on the PlayStation 3?».
• «I buy movie discs that aren't on streaming services, will I no longer be able to buy them?».
• «It doesn't look like they're going to release the PlayStation 6, I think they're going to slowly disappear and end up with the PlayStation.».
• «Even when they released Blu-ray, they almost always had the same amount of content as DVDs.».
• «At this rate, they will also abandon the games.».
• «If they abandon gaming, Sony will become a small company, as most of their revenue comes from PlayStation.».
• «Trinitron, abandoned. Betamax, abandoned. DM, abandoned. Memory Stick, abandoned. VAIO, abandoned. Blu-ray, abandoned. Will the PlayStation be next? LOL».
• «As game sizes increase, what will happen to physical media?».
• «Toshiba was right when they said, "The future is flowing." They said it in 2007, impressively.».
• «With more and more devices without a disk drive, it's not even an option.».
• «The end of Blu-ray. We're already in the era of downloads and subscriptions. Xbox, with its downloads and premium subscriptions, was ahead of its time. Sony is in trouble; if its video game business collapses, they'll no longer be able to pressure retailers, and fewer PlayStation games will be sold.».
• «Blu-ray became popular, but UHDBD became useless due to excessive security that prevented its playback on PCs. They should have evolved as an extension of Blu-ray, without proliferating too many standards.».

Source: Mainichi Shimbun