欧博百家乐Still Breathing, But No Longer Writing: Sony
February 10, 2026, 12:23 PM
Sony has officially announced its complete withdrawal from the market for Blu-ray disc recording devices. The company will cease shipments of all current recorder models after February 2026, and there will be no new devices in this product line. Back in January 2025, Sony confirmed it was halting production of the recordable media itself — blank Blu-ray discs, MiniDiscs, and MiniDV cassettes. In the summer of 2024, the company's optical media division laid off 40% of its staff. Thus, the fate of the devices these media were created for was sealed.
Models being discontinued include the BDZ-ZW1900 (released in 2024), as well as the BDZ-FBT4200, BDZ-FBT2200, and BDZ-FBW2200 (2023). The remaining devices will gradually disappear from store shelves after the February 2026 deadline. In its statement, Sony expressed its "sincere gratitude" to all customers who used its recorders.
An Important Nuance: This decision only concerns devices with recording functionality. For now, Sony has no plans to discontinue the production of standard Blu-ray and UHD Blu-ray players. This segment, though niche, continues to exist thanks to enthusiasts of high-quality picture and sound, as well as physical media collectors. Besides Sony, players remain on the market from Panasonic and several specialized Hi-End brands. Companies like Oppo, Samsung, and LG exited this business several years ago.
The final abandonment of recorders symbolizes the end of a whole era of home archiving. These devices were once popular in Japan and some regions for recording TV broadcasts in high quality. The total shift to streaming, cloud storage, and digital video formats has left them in demand only among a narrow circle of users.
Now, the main question observers are asking is: will this decision be the first step toward Sony's complete exit from the optical media market as a whole? Its partnership with TCL and general industry trends make one ponder the long-term prospects even for familiar disc players.
What do you think? Is there a future for physical media in the age of ubiquitous streaming, or are they destined to remain the domain of a narrow circle of "high-quality" connoisseurs?
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About the author
Arkadiy Andrienko
Author of articles and news
As a technical journalist for VGTimes, I equally enjoy discussing the latest graphics cards and delving into the intricacies of classic RPGs. Since 2018, I have been writing about games and hardware; my experience in sound engineering has allowed me to understand the nuances of audio technologies well, and I am always on the lookout for something new in the realm of gaming hardware. When I'm not writing about technology, I'm likely exploring the post-apocalyptic wastelands in Fallout, managing a colony in RimWorld, or commanding armies in Hearts of Iron IV. For me, gaming is more than just a hobby—it's a passion that fuels my creativity and keeps me connected to the ever-evolving world of technology.
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