Sony and Ziff Davis Game Group just announced that the companies have mutually agreed to discontinue production on the Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine (OPM) in North America. The final issue will be dated January 2007.

Officially licensed by Sony Computer Entertainment America (SCEA), a big asset to OPM has always been the playable demo disc found in each issue that users plopped into a PlayStation2 to access game samplers and other media.

"With the launch of the PlayStation 3... and its full network and Web capabilities, we are focused on delivering content via the PlayStation Network and PlayStation.com website, not discs," explained Peter Dille, senior vice president of marketing, SCEA, Dille remarked that the shift to online-only was a natural evolution of Sony's content delivery strategy.

Reportedly, Sony will continue to work closely with the editorial staff at Ziff Davis, as well as other partners, in the development of content for the PlayStation Network.