Sony is shifting its strategy and repurposing its PlayStation disc manufacturing plant with a significant investment of $35 million, approximately Rp 629 billion. This move aligns with the company's decision to discontinue the production of physical games by 2028.
Location and Production Capacity
The facility in Thalgau, Austria, has the capability to produce around 600,000 discs daily, including PlayStation games, Blu-ray discs, and CDs. However, production is expected to see a steep decline as the company plans to move away from physical game sales.
Impact on Workforce
According to reports from the Austrian media outlet ORF, employees at the Sony DADC facility were informed about the restructuring plans. Fortunately, CEO Dietmar Tanzer stated that this decision would not lead to layoffs at this time. Currently, PlayStation products account for about 50% of the plant's production volume, with new game orders contributing to roughly 20% of that total.
Future Production Plans
Tanzer projected that by 2028, only about 10% of the production volume would be related to PlayStation games. Instead of reducing the workforce, Sony is channeling hundreds of billions of rupiah into new equipment at the plant. This investment will allow a shift in production towards micro-optics rather than discs.
Micro-Optics Technology
Markus Streibl, the head of Micro-Optics at Sony DADC, elaborated on how this technology will be integrated into future products. Micro-optics involves the miniaturization of optical systems and elements designed to focus and direct light in extremely compact spaces. One application mentioned is the projection of car turn signals onto the road.
Recently, employees have started transitioning from disc production to testing new equipment. Sony also plans to retrain its staff in preparation for the mass production of micro-optical lenses, which is set to begin next year.
Source: https://inet.detik.com/games-news/d-8562615/alih-fungsikan-pabrik-cakram-playstation-sony-kucurkan-rp-629-m
