Sony is taking a significant step by redefining the purpose of its PlayStation disc manufacturing facility, investing approximately $35 million (around Rp 629 billion) in the process. This decision aligns with their announcement to halt the production of physical games by 2028.
Location and Current Operations
The factory in question is situated in Thalgau, Austria, where it currently has the capacity to produce around 600,000 discs daily. This includes various formats such as PlayStation games, Blu-ray discs, and compact discs (CDs).
Future Production Changes
However, with the transition away from physical games, production levels are expected to decline significantly. According to Austrian media outlet ORF, employees at Sony DADC were informed last Wednesday that the facility would undergo restructuring.
Employment Stability Amid Changes
Fortunately, Dietmar Tanzer, CEO of Sony DADC, assured that this restructuring would not lead to layoffs at this time. He indicated that PlayStation products currently account for about 50% of the factory's production volume, with new game orders contributing roughly 20% to that total. Tanzer projected that by 2028, this figure could drop to around 10%.
Investment in New Technologies
Rather than reducing staff numbers, Sony is channeling hundreds of billions of rupiah into new equipment for the facility. This investment will facilitate a shift in production focus toward micro-optical lenses instead of discs. Markus Streibl, head of Micro Optics at Sony DADC, elaborated on how this technology will be utilized in future products. He described micro-optics as the miniaturization of optical systems and elements designed to focus and direct light within a minimal space. One practical application of this technology is in car signal lights that are projected onto the road.
Reportedly, on the same Wednesday, employees began transitioning from disc production to testing the new equipment. Additionally, Sony has plans to retrain staff in preparation for the mass production of micro-optical lenses, which is set to commence next year.
Source: https://inet.detik.com/games-news/d-8562615/alih-fungsikan-pabrik-cakram-playstation-sony-kucurkan-rp-629-m
