Sony has decided retailers can no longer sell PS4 full game digital download codes, with the codes disappearing from sale on April 1.

As The Verge reports, news of this decision leaked last week when an internal memo from GameStop was posted on Twitter by Wario64, you can read the memo in the tweet below:

Here is the full text outlining these changes (Sony full game digital codes at retail) pic.twitter.com/wY39bWyhaj — Wario64 (@Wario64) March 22, 2019

The decision impacts all retailers, not just GameStop, and will mean you can no longer walk into a store and purchase a full PS4 game in digital form. Doing so was a nice and simple way to buy someone a game as a gift you could stick inside a card. However, DLC packs, add-ons, season passes, and virtual currency will still be available to purchase.

Clearly Sony has decided offering full game downloads at retail doesn't work anymore, with the official line from a PlayStation spokesperson being, "This decision was made in order to continue to align key businesses globally."

It also looks like more emphasis is being placed on buying digital currency to then spend on the PlayStation Network, with Sony looking to offer "increased denominations at select retailers." Right now you can purchase codes that add between $10 and $100 to your account. It seems likely that will now increase to match the digital wallet limit of $200.

While specialist retailers such as GameStop will be hardest hit by this decision, they are only losing Sony and still have Microsoft, Nintendo, and PC game codes to sell. Even so, the PS4 is the lead console this generation and that means a lot of gamers who won't be able to buy digital games in-store for the console they own, which could lead to some of them not bothering to visit their local store at all.