Entertainment
It's Official: Your PS5 Disc Drive Is Just For Show Now
By TeeJay Small
| Published
Discussions about physical media have been popping up constantly in recent months, as film fans lament the frustrating tedium of streaming services, AI upscales, and licensing agreements that strip you of your digital purchases without your consent. Now, Sony has ignited a fire in the hearts and minds of gamers, by announcing that they’ll be doing away with physical games completely. Per a report in Polygon, the PlayStation 6 will have no disc drive, and newly developed games will be bought exclusively on the digital PS Store, or will be sold in the form of promo codes inside physical game cases.
The Digital Way Lacks A Physical Tray
For some video game enthusiasts, the writing has been on the wall for a long time. I distinctly recall the 2020 release of the PlayStation 5, which launched with a digital only option at a reduced price. Since I’m kind of a hyper-minimalist, I considered purchasing the console sans-disc tray for myself, before being ultimately swayed toward the standard version by my friends. In the years since, I’ve occasionally borrowed games or popped in DVDs, but the disc drive has largely been decorative in my home.
As far as Sony can tell, I’m not a unique customer. Their 2025 consumer report says that physical games accounted for just three percent of all sales in the 2024 fiscal year, meaning a vast majority of gamers have shifted away from collecting discs, in favor of cloud-based game streaming. The company seems to view this trend as a tacit endorsement of their oncoming policy, with reps stating “This is a natural direction for Sony Interactive Entertainment to adapt to consumer trends as the general preference for digital media significantly outpaces physical disc. This transition will enable us to align more closely with how most of our community prefers to access and play games today.”
While Sony’s numbers support the decision, you’d never know it by logging onto social media. Video game fans far and wide have taken the news with agonizing fury, alongside calls to boycott, or declarations that the PlayStation 6 will never join their roster of consoles. This news has also broken just as many collectors have begun a pivot back to physical media, in order to preserve their favorite games. One of the major drawbacks of digital downloads is that you never truly “own” them, since the digital dashboard could pull their license or revoke your access at any time.
Is There A Best Of Both Worlds Scenario?
On one hand, it makes sense for the company to stop pumping money into mass-producing discs, cases, and supplementing GameStop storefronts around the globe. That cash could arguably be better spent refining their servers, reducing lag, or building greater assets for gamers to enjoy. On the other hand, it seems absurd that gamers of the future will be expected to spend upwards of $100 for a game that they can’t hold in their hands, bring to a friend’s place, or know for a fact that they can log back onto in 10 years’ time.
Sony claims that the switch will take place in January of 2028, which perhaps hints at a Christmas 2027 release for the still-unconfirmed PlayStation 6. If fans continue to rage against the machine, it’s possible that Sony still has time to pull a Sonic The Hedgehog and backtrack on this policy before launch. Either way, the decline of physical game sales makes it a null point, since even the most ravenous of collectors won’t be able to make it profitable to sell them at scale.
I’d say the best case scenario for physical collectors is a sort of Criterion-style system, where Sony can release special edition discs of their most popular games in small batches. Barring that, we may be entering a fully-digital gaming era, for better or worse.
Entertainment
Chipotle is giving away free entrées during the World Cup final — how to claim yours
TL;DR: Chipotle is giving away 100,000 free entrées during the 2026 World Cup final on July 19. During the match’s second hydration break, fans can watch a video on Chipotle’s Instagram, grab the code revealed at the end, and text it to 888-222 for a chance to claim free food.
Chipotle is bringing some free food to the biggest football match of the summer.
During the 2026 World Cup final on Sunday, July 19, the restaurant chain will give away 100,000 free entrée offers as part of this special giveaway.
The idea for this promotion comes from a long-running Chipotle fan joke. Some customers have been known to “accidentally” fill their complimentary water cups with lemonade at the drink station, and the restaurant has leaned into the joke on social media over the years.
“The best brand ideas start with a fan truth,” said Stephanie Perdue, Chipotle’s senior vice president of marketing.
How to get a free Chipotle entrée during the World Cup final
Getting the freebie is pretty simple:
Mashable Deals
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Tune into the World Cup final on July 19
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During the match’s second hydration break, head to Chipotle’s Instagram account (@Chipotle)
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Watch the cup-shuffling game, where three identical Chipotle water cups move around the screen
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Follow the cup hiding the lemonade and grab the code revealed at the end
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Text the code to 888-222
The first 100,000 people to successfully text the code will receive a free entrée offer, valid on any regularly priced entrée (subject to availability) through July 24, 2026. The offer is available in the U.S. for fans 13 and older. Standard text and data rates may apply.
If you’re already watching the final, it’s worth keeping your phone nearby — your next Chipotle meal could be just a text away.
Entertainment
Tatiana Maslany breaks down Maximum Pleasure Guaranteeds courtroom finale
Throughout Season 1 of Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed, Paula Sanders (Tatiana Maslany) has been through hell. She’s been scammed and arrested. She’s shot a man and become embroiled in a criminal conspiracy. And through it all, she’s been enduring a nasty custody battle with her ex, Carl (Jake Johnson), over her daughter, Hazel (Nola Wallace).
‘Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed’ review: The power of Tatiana Maslany makes this thriller a must-watch
That all comes to a head in Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed‘s Season 1 finale, which sees Paula and Carl officially go to court. Spoiler alert: Paula manages to keep custody of Hazel, but not before she’s publicly chewed out for her transactions with cam boy Trevor (Brandon Flynn).
In a Say More interview with Mashable Entertainment Reporter Belen Edwards, Maslany broke down the heated moment.
“Reading [the scene], I’m like, oh, Paula’s in a situation where Carl would never be questioned for the affair he had, because his affair has landed him with a woman who has a lot of money and a good life,” Maslany explained.
While Carl’s affair has brought him stability, Paula’s own sex life has “derailed” her, Maslany explained, putting her desires under the microscope.
“The impulse to seek out connection or sexual gratification — that’s almost more on trial than anything else,” Maslany said of the custody hearing. “It’s a wonderful thing [for Paula] to be able to articulate, in sort of clumsy language, a retort to that, and that she doesn’t just acquiesce [and say], ‘Yes, I shouldn’t have done that, and I’m bad, and I’ll never do it again.'”
To hear more about Maslany’s reaction to Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed, and how she found the character of Paula, watch the full interview above.
All episodes of Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed are now streaming on Apple TV.
Entertainment
7-Eleven and Hot Wheels just dropped an exclusive Nissan GT-R collectible — heres how to get it
TL;DR: 7-Eleven and Hot Wheels are back with another exclusive collectible, this time a 2017 Nissan GT-R (R35). It’s available now for $7.11 at participating 7-Eleven, Speedway, and Stripes stores, as well as online at 7Collection, while supplies last.
Credit: 7-Eleven / Hot Wheels
If you’re a Hot Wheels collector, your next stop might be 7-Eleven.
The retailer has teamed up with Mattel for a second year to release an exclusive Hot Wheels 2017 Nissan GT-R (R35). The limited-edition collectible is available now for $7.11 at participating 7-Eleven, Speedway, and Stripes locations, as well as online at 7Collection. Don’t wait too long, though — it’s only available while supplies last.
Mashable Trend Report
Credit: 7-Eleven / Hot Wheels
Credit: 7-Eleven / Hot Wheels
What makes this Hot Wheels exclusive so special?
This year’s release spotlights the iconic 2017 Nissan GT-R (R35), one of Nissan’s most recognizable performance cars. The 1:64-scale die-cast features a clean white finish with 7-Eleven branding on the hood and sides, giving the sports car a playful convenience-store makeover that’s made for collectors.
The collectible is part of Hot Wheels’ Silver Series, which means it comes with extra detailing compared to the brand’s standard cars. It also arrives in exclusive 7-Eleven-themed packaging, making it just as display-worthy as the car itself.
If you miss out on the 2017 Nissan GT-R (R35), there’s more on the way. 7-Eleven says an expanded collection of limited-edition merchandise will arrive soon.
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