Sony has announced the end of the line for a trio of recording media formats, with the company shutting down production of recordable Blu-ray discs, MiniDiscs and MiniDV cassettes.
In an announcement bereft of fanfare, the company revealed there’d be no further units created after February 2025.
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“In February 2025, we will end the production of all models of Blu-ray disc media, mini discs for recording, MD data for recording, and mini DV cassettes. In addition, there is no successor model,” the company said in a translated post on its Japanese website. “We would like to express our heartfelt thanks for the many customers who have used it so far.”
Sony will still be making the Blu-ray discs responsible for movies and PS5 games, but the recordable discs are going the way of the dodo.
While Sony is shutting down production it doesn’t mean you can’t get them while stocks last, while other sources will continue making the recordable media.
MiniDiscs didn’t really take off as Sony had hoped around in the late 1990s. The company’s desired successor to the Compact Disc was smaller, but generally comparable in quality to the CD.
In fact, the quality has ensured the format has maintained a following all these years later as an alternative to highly compressed digital streams.
It was digital music that ultimately put paid to the format though, with Sony ceasing the production of MiniDisc Walkman players players in 2013. That the discs themselves lived on for another 12 years is a testament to its popularity among enthusiasts like DJs. Among that community, they’ll surely be missed.
One comment on the r/minidisc Reddit community summed up that sentiment: “We lost.” Another added: “I have stockpiled many lifetimes worth, but still, sad news.”
MiniDisc might be back
It’s always sad when a physical media format goes to silicon heaven, but sometimes that’s what’s needed for a reprisal. I expect that to be the case with the MiniDisc. If there’s a demand for it among enthusiasts and younger generations latch on, as they have with cassettes, I wouldn’t be surprised to see the MiniDisc return in years to come.
When was the last time you saw a recordable Blu-ray disc though? ‘Nuff said.
