PlayStation's decision to end disc production for games in 2028 has unsurprisingly led to a massive amount of backlash, largely due to the implications an all-digital future holds for entitlements and actual ownership of a library of games. There have been notable voices in the industry expressing support, or at least trying to explain Sony's stance amid ongoing component shortages and related hardware price pressures, and you can key PlayStation architect Ken Kutaragi among them.
Kutaragi tells VGC at the Game Republic New Horizons event that he understands the pushback to Sony's decision, but ultimately sees it as a necessary step to navigate difficult economic headwinds.
"I understand that physical discs have become a metaphor for 'owning' games. I really understand that mentality," he says. "But nobody thinks [physical media] is necessary for a networked device like a smartphone, for example, because people feel that they will keep their content. So it’s a mentality.
"I really understand [why some people are upset], but I don’t think it’s economically reasonable. Maybe it’s a mentality issue."
There's no doubt Sony and every other hardware manufacturer in business right now is under intense pressure to keep prices as low as possible despite an unprecedented economy squeezed by AI data centers and US tariffs, but many PlayStation users see the availability of physical discs as non-negotiable, leaving Sony and others in a real predicament going into the next console generation.
Kutaragi has no direct insights into Sony's plans as he left the company in 2007, but he says he has an idea of the company's thinking in terms of hardware going forward.
"I'm not the CEO at PlayStation anymore, but we still have some common [viewpoints]. Right now, Sony Interactive Entertainment has many people who have come from outside, like from Gaikai or streaming companies," says Kutaragi.
"So it’s understandable that by utilizing network connectivity [they may see] PlayStation as not just a game console, but also a content terminal. Maybe that’s how those people are thinking. But this has caused some friction with game enthusiasts."
I'd say "some friction" is an understatement, but it remains to be seen how Sony responds to what's become a public relations fire for the company. Some experts have suggested it's possible the conversation is evolving within Sony, but so far the company hasn't announced any plan to reverse course, nor has it shared additional details or assurances on how digital games will be handled going forward.
