Ken Kutaragi, the former PlayStation executive known as the “Father of PlayStation,” has weighed in on the debate over physical games following Sony’s announcement that it will stop supporting PS5 game discs in 2028. Speaking to VGC, he said ending disc support makes sense even though it angers some players.
Kutaragi acknowledged that buyers feel they “own” a game when they purchase it physically. But he argued the expectation differs for connected devices. “Nobody thinks [physical media] is necessary for a networked device like a smartphone, for example, because people feel that they will keep their content,” he said.
The executive also said he “really” understands why some fans are upset with Sony’s decision. Sony still sell millions and millions of physical games annually, and in certain regions, sales of new games on PS5 are more than 50% physical.
“I don’t think it’s economically reasonable [to continue to support discs]. Maybe it’s a mentality issue,” he said.
Nobody thinks [physical media] is necessary for a networked device like a smartphone, for example, because people feel that they will keep their content.
Ken Kutaragi
The shift toward digital is already underway and expected to continue. Sony has described ending disc support as a “natural direction” for the company as it adapts to consumer trends, while one analyst suggested that killing discs is really about profitability and control.
Kutaragi said PlayStation’s teams now include hires from “outside,” including people who arrived through streaming companies via Sony’s buyout of streaming service Gaikai. He suggested those new employees may view 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,” he said.
While Sony moves away from physical games, Nintendo doesn’t plan to do that, at least not yet. Microsoft has not spelled out its plans for discs going forward, but most expect Xbox to kill off discs as well.
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