French Politicians Decry Lack of Physical Edition for GTA 6

The emergence of GTA 6 boxed editions that lack actual game discs, coupled with Sony’s strategic pivot away from physical media, has ignited a firestorm of populist criticism. Unsurprisingly, political figures have been quick to weaponize these industry shifts to court voter sentiment.

French presidential hopeful Jean-Luc Mélenchon recently took to X to voice his disapproval, highlighting the precarious nature of digital-only ownership. He challenged the ethics of a marketplace where consumers pay full price for digital licenses that offer no true sense of property—prohibiting resale, lending, or long-term access guarantees. Mélenchon has signaled his intent to champion consumer protection in this space, promising a legislative initiative by 2027 to combat these restrictive industry trends.

Avec GTA 6 sans disque en 2026 et l’annonce de Sony de la fin des ventes de disques physiques pour les jeux en 2028, la question de savoir comment on considère ces produits se pose.

Demain, vous paierez sans jamais rien posséder. Ni prêt, ni revente, ni garantie de conserver ce…

— Jean-Luc Mélenchon (@JLMelenchon) July 2, 2026

Mélenchon isn’t the only one sounding the alarm; European Parliament member Leïla Chaibi has also leveraged the controversy to advocate for the preservation of tangible media. In a recent video, she showcased a collection of physical titles—including RDR 2 and a mock-up of Grand Theft Auto VI—to illustrate the cultural and consumer value of physical ownership in an increasingly intangible gaming landscape.