Physical editions of Digimon Story: Time Stranger may be hard to come by at launch, the game’s developer has warned. Roughly 10 years after the release of Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth, the next mainline game in the series is almost here, but fans hoping to get the disc version may have to wait a little longer. It’s looking like the first run of Digimon Story: Time Stranger physical versions could sell out very quickly.
While a decade has passed between Cyber Sleuth and the latest Digimon Story game, fans haven’t had to endure too long a stretch since the game’s official announcement. Bandai Namco revealed the title during the February 2025 PlayStation State of Play, and Digimon Story: Time Stranger will be available on October 3, though some users will be able to play it a day early depending on the version they get and their time zone. With release day looming, excitement is high, and Bandai expects that to impact the availability of hard copies.
High Demand Could Make Physical Editions of Digimon Story: Time Stranger Hard to Come By
On September 30, the official Japanese Digimon Story: Time Stranger account tweeted that the packaged edition of the game “may be difficult to obtain” in its first week after launch, thanks to high demand. The company urged fans to reserve a copy at their local retailer ahead of time, if possible, to ensure they can get their hands on a disc. It’s easy to see why Bandai expects discs to fly off shelves, too. Shortly after the company opened pre-orders for the Digimon Story: Time Stranger Collector’s Edition, it sold out, despite its hefty $200 price tag. The regular physical release won’t come with nearly as many perks, but it seems like fans are anxious to get their hands on the game regardless.
Digital copies and download codes in place of discs in “physical” releases have become the norm across the gaming industry in recent years. Given that shift, Time Stranger getting a proper physical version at launch has been welcome news among fans, even if there are some downsides to the console version of the game. It’s been revealed that Digimon Story: Time Stranger will only run at 30 FPS on consoles, even on the PS5 Pro, but the Steam version will reach 60 FPS. That limitation aside, there is plenty for fans to look forward to, though that could make hard copies difficult to acquire until Bandai does another production run.
Digimon Story: Time Stranger wouldn’t be the first game to see disc editions vanish from store shelves before many fans can snag them. Earlier in 2025, Clair Obscur physical versions quickly sold out before appearing at exorbitant resale prices on eBay. It remains to be seen if Digimon Story will face a similar fate, but Bandai has at least been sure to warn fans ahead of time.