Sony Ends Japan 4K Blu‑ray Player, PS5 Is Only Disc Device

Sony announced on October 22 that it has stopped shipping the UBP‑X700/K, the company’s last standalone 4K Ultra HD Blu‑ray player in Japan.

With the device permanently out of stock and no successor in sight, the disc‑equipped Sony PlayStation remains the only Sony hardware capable of playing 4K Blu‑ray movies in the Japanese market.

What we know

According to TechPowerUp, shipments of the UBP‑X700/K ended on October 22 and the remaining inventory on Sony’s Japanese online store sold out almost immediately. The model, launched on May 17, 2025, was a stripped‑down version of the 2018 UBP‑X700 and was listed at ¥58,300 before discontinuation.

Notebookcheck reported that the player is now marked as permanently out of stock, and noted that Sony continues to offer the BDP‑S1700/K in Japan, a dedicated 4K Blu‑ray player that lacks the “standalone” label of the UBP‑X700/K.

Tom’s Hardware and Push Square both highlighted that Sony is following LG’s lead in ending Blu‑ray player production, with Push Square quoting the announcement that there will be “no replacement”.

Why it matters for gamers

The loss of a dedicated 4K Blu‑ray player narrows the options for collectors and cinephiles who prefer physical media. Players who own a library of 4K Blu‑ray movies will now need to rely on the PlayStation 5’s built‑in disc drive, which, while capable, is primarily a gaming console and may not offer the same convenience or audio‑visual settings as a dedicated player.

This shift also reflects the broader industry trend of diminishing physical‑media support, echoing recent stories such as the Chinese Seller Lists Unplayable GTA 6 PS5 Disc in Collector's Set incident, where physical discs are becoming a liability.

For gamers who also follow game updates, the timing coincides with the upcoming Cyberpunk 2077 Update 2.5 Arrives Oct 22 with Edgerunners 2 Tie‑In, underscoring a period of notable changes across both hardware and software.

What to do now

• If you already own a UBP‑X700/K, consider using it while it lasts, or explore second‑hand markets.
• Invest in a PlayStation 5 if you need a reliable 4K Blu‑ray playback solution and also want a next‑gen gaming console.
• Keep an eye on future announcements from Sony or other manufacturers for possible new UHD Blu‑ray players, especially from international markets.
• Check out our Sony PlayStation guide for tips on optimizing disc playback on the PS5.

See it on Run On Console

• Sony PlayStation guide: the consoles, games and gear

Sources

Verified by 4 trusted sources. This story was written from the reports below and checked against them before it was published.

• Sony Retires Its Last 4K Blu-ray Player in Japan, PS5 Is All That's Left (TechPowerUp)
• Sony's last 4K Blu-ray player bites the dust as physical media faces another setback (Notebookcheck)
• Sony Japan marks last standalone 4K Blu-ray player as ‘Discontinued’ (Tom's Hardware)
• Sony Exits UHD Blu-ray Player Market as Pull Back from Physical Media Continues (Push Square)