According to a report by Kirk McKeand for IGN 新闻, Ken Kutaragi—the former Sony executive known as “The Father of PlayStation”—has backed Sony’s decision to phase out physical discs on its consoles and dismissed the backlash against the move as a “mentality issue.” Speaking to VGC, Kutaragi said that while he understands players’ attachment to disc-based games, dropping them is not economically reasonable.
Kutaragi ran Sony’s gaming business through its first three console generations. In his comments, he argued that the shift toward digital mirrors how people already treat content on networked devices such as smartphones.
“Although we had network capability back in the PS2 and PS3 days, it was not that common [as it is today]. Now, many, many people are connected,” he said.
Ken Kutaragi
“I understand that physical discs have become a metaphor for ‘owning’ games. I really understand that mentality… 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.”
Ken Kutaragi
Kutaragi said he “really understands” why some players are upset but maintained the move is not economically sensible: “Maybe it’s a mentality issue.”
While acknowledging that Sony’s decision has caused friction among players, Kutaragi pointed to the makeup of Sony Interactive Entertainment—which now employs people from streaming services such as Gaikai—and suggested the company may have ambitions beyond gaming. He floated the possibility that consoles could eventually be phased out entirely in favor of streaming solutions aimed at curbing rising component costs.
“We won’t need any console,” he said, before clarifying: “This isn’t an official comment from Sony Computer Entertainment!”
Ken Kutaragi
Under Sony’s current plans, physical discs on PlayStation consoles will be phased out entirely by 2028. The company reportedly knew killing PS5 discs would be a huge PR problem but is pressing ahead anyway.
Sid Shuman, Senior Director of Content Communications at Sony Interactive Entertainment, outlined the rationale in a post on the PlayStation Blog, saying new games would be released digitally only.
“In response to shifting trends in consumer preference, new games will be released on PlayStation Store and at retailers in digital formats only,” Shuman wrote.
Sid Shuman, Senior Director, Sony Interactive Entertainment Content Communications
He added that physical game disc production for all new titles releasing on PlayStation consoles would stop starting January 2028, but the change does not affect games already released or scheduled before that date. “This is a natural direction for Sony Interactive Entertainment to adapt to consumer trends as the general preference for digital media significantly outpaces physical discs,” he wrote.
Players have voiced preservation concerns through various channels, including PlayStation surveys.
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Kirk McKeand is a contributor on IGN 新闻. Find him on Twitter @MckKirk
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