Sony\u00a0appears to have stopped making standalone 4K Blu-ray players, the format it championed for two decades. Japanese blog Kunkoku, which is also a Sony retail partner, reported that the company has ended shipments of the\u00a0UBP-X700\/K<\/b>, its last standalone Ultra HD Blu-ray player, and that sales will stop once existing stock runs out. The report was picked up by FlatpanelsHD, and Sony Japan has since listed the player as discontinued, with no successor announced.<\/p>\n
Sony has not confirmed the move, at least according to its UK operations, declining to comment on what it called speculation.\u00a0Retailers in Japan have reportedly been told not to expect further shipments,\u00a0though\u00a0the UBP-X700\u00a0is still listed on the Sony Singapore website,\u00a0though\u00a0with pricing information missing.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Cue shock and horror at the realisation that if the reports are accurate, the PlayStation 5 will become the only Sony device that can you can buy now that plays Blu-ray discs.<\/p>\n
A Steady Retreat from Discs<\/h2>\n
The player is the latest step in a steady withdrawal from physical media that has played out over less than two years:<\/p>\n
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- February 2025:<\/b>\u00a0Sony ended production of recordable Blu-ray discs, along with recordable MiniDiscs and MiniDV tapes, saying there would be no successors.<\/li>\n
- February 2026:<\/b>\u00a0Sony said it would exit the Blu-ray disc recorder market in Japan, citing the rise of streaming. Japanese shipments of Blu-ray recorders peaked at 6.39 million units in 2011 and fell to 620,000 in 2025, according to the Japan Electronics and Information Technology Industries Association.<\/li>\n
- July 2026:<\/b>\u00a0Sony Interactive Entertainment said it would\u00a0stop producing physical discs for new PlayStation games from January 2028, citing a shift in player habits away from physical media.
October 2026:<\/b>\u00a0The UBP-X700\/K is reported to be discontinued.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\nThis supposed pull-back does fit the broader narrative that Sony is looking to reshape its consumer electronics business. In January 2026, the company said it would spin off its home entertainment business into a joint venture with TCL named BRAVIA Inc., scheduled to begin operations in April 2027. In this new venture, TCL will hold a 51% majority stake, while Sony retains a 49% minority stake.<\/p>\n
The retreat stands out because few companies did more to make Blu-ray a success. Sony launched the world\u2019s first Blu-ray recorder in Japan in 2003, and backed the format alongside Panasonic, Samsung, and Apple against Toshiba\u2019s rival HD DVD format.<\/p>\n
The PlayStation 3, which shipped with a built-in Blu-ray drive, helped tip the balance. By April 2007, Blu-ray accounted for about 70% of the high-definition movie market, helped by the console\u2019s popularity and broad Hollywood support. Sony also used its film industry ties to win over five of the seven major studios. When Warner Bros. went Blu-ray-only in January 2008, the format war was effectively over, and Toshiba abandoned HD DVD the following month.<\/p>\n
Who Still Makes Blu-ray Players?<\/h2>\n
\n The Magnetar UDP-900 Blu-ray player.<\/p>\n
Photo: Magnetar<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
Sony\u2019s apparent exit comes at an awkward moment for the format. 4K Blu-ray sales in the US grew 12% in 2025<\/b>, even as overall physical media sales fell 9.3%, according to the Digital Entertainment Group. The problem is hardware, given that brands like Oppo, Samsung, LG, and Pioneer have all left the Blu-ray player business. That leaves Panasonic as the only major brand still making Blu-ray players.<\/p>\n
If it\u2019s any consolation, smaller brands are starting to fill the gap. Hong Kong-based Magnetar makes high-end players such as the UDP900 MKII, which debuted in late 2025,\u00a0selling for a whopping ~S$3,500. Chinese brand Krovatar has launched players like the KBU-300 (also available in Singapore for ~S$530).\u00a0<\/p>\n
The pattern will be familiar to anyone who follows CD players. CDs have kept defying predictions of their decline in the streaming era, and a wave of new players, led by Chinese audio brands, has followed, such as Guangzhou-based FiiO\u2019s portable DM15 R2R, for example. Demand is picking up too: US CD shipments rose 45.7% to 17.5 million units in the first half of 2026, according to the RIAA, after falling 11.6% in 2025. If 4K Blu-ray follows the same path, brands such as Krovatar could keep the format alive long after the big names have left.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Other Ways to Watch<\/h2>\n
\n Incredibly, the PS5 could be your best bet at getting a device that plays Blu-ray discs now.<\/p>\n
Photo: HWZ<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
Games consoles are the most accessible alternative, and both the PS5 and Xbox Series X play 4K Blu-ray discs on their disc-equipped models. Neither supports Dolby Vision for discs, and the PS5 lacks HDR10+ too, so they fall short of a dedicated player. The console route is also narrowing. Later PS5 models moved to a detachable disc drive, and Sony\u2019s decision to end physical game discs from 2028 raises questions about whether a future PlayStation will include a drive at all.<\/p>\n
PC users can still buy Blu-ray drives, though that market is shrinking too.\u00a0Pioneer, LG and Elecom have pulled out of disc\u00a0drives.\u00a0Buffalo reversed its plan to stop making Blu-ray drives after securing more components, but has raised prices by 33% to 51%, and says production will end once those parts run out.<\/p>\n
For those willing to give up discs, a few high-quality digital services try to match Blu-ray picture and sound. Sony Pictures Core streams at up to 80Mbps with its PureStream mode, well above typical streaming services, though that mode works only on Sony TVs and the catalogue is limited to Sony\u2019s own films. At the high end, Kaleidescape sells downloadable 4K films with lossless audio and Dolby Vision. Kaleidescape officially lists the digital Movie Store as supported in the United States, United Kingdom, and Canada, though\u00a0local dealers in Singapore\u00a0might be able to advise on system setup and content access options for the\u00a0region.<\/p>\n
For now, Panasonic, modern gaming consoles and a handful of specialist brands will keep 4K Blu-ray playable.\u00a0With Sony stepping back though, the format\u2019s hardware future\u00a0rests\u00a0increasingly with smaller companies.<\/p>\n
Source: <\/b>FlatpanelsHD<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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\n - February 2026:<\/b>\u00a0Sony said it would exit the Blu-ray disc recorder market in Japan, citing the rise of streaming. Japanese shipments of Blu-ray recorders peaked at 6.39 million units in 2011 and fell to 620,000 in 2025, according to the Japan Electronics and Information Technology Industries Association.<\/li>\n