Sony Reportedly Cutting 250 Jobs From Recordable Media Business, Including Disc Biz – Media Play News

Erik Gruenwedel

July 1, 2024

Sony Group Corp. is reportedly cutting 250 positions from its recordable media business, which includes research and development of physical media such as Blu-ray Disc.

The layoffs at a manufacturing facility in Tagajo, Miyagi Prefecture, would affect a workforce of about 670 people, according to The Mainichi, which cited sources familiar with the situation.

The cuts are largely the result of a declining packed media ecosystem that has been replaced by streaming video and audio distribution. Best Buy this year is phasing out selling packaged media movies and TV shows at its 900-plus stores nationwide.

Sony is the one of the creators of Blu-ray Disc technology in 2000 and introduced the first high-definition (1080p) Blu-ray player in 2003. The Blu-ray Disc was released in 2007 at CES Las Vegas, which then began the high-definition disc format war with Toshiba, creators of the rival HD DVD.

Toshiba threw in the towel on HD DVD in 2008, and introduced its first Blu-ray Disc player in 2009.

Subscribe HERE to the FREE Media Play News Daily Newsletter!