In a gaming culture where physical discs are being disregarded in favour of digital releases, PlayStation’s founder, Ken Kutaragi, has finally voiced his opinion.
Concerns over physical discs and questions over ownership have ramped up this year, specifically after Sony announced that by January 2028 they will end physical disc production for all PlayStation titles.
And, coupled with the fact that one of the biggest games of the year (if not the decade) in GTA 6 will see a strictly digital release only, the death of physical game media feels nigh.
But for Ken Kutaragi, this is less of a crisis and more of a broader "mentality issue" amongst gamers.
In a conversation with Video Games Chronicle, Kutaragi had this to say: "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.
"I really understand [why some people are upset], but I don’t think it’s economically reasonable. Maybe it’s a mentality issue."
Kutaragi was not only PlayStation’s founder, but he acted as Sony’s CEO and oversaw the production of the first three PlayStation consoles. He retired from his role in 2007 after nearly 10 years of leadership.
However, these comments have surely added to the overwhelming feeling that fans merely 'rent' the digital games they buy, rather than having full ownership, all for the sake of being "economically reasonable."
View Green Video on the source websiteKutaragi went on to explain that PlayStation is shifting towards a network-focused platform: "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.
"So, it’s understandable that by utilising 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."
It appears that Sony sees the death of physical game media as some kind of content evolution, whereas fans perceive it as the death of a crucial part of gaming culture.
However you see it, this is clearly just the beginning in Sony’s plan to make PlayStation a digital-first platform.
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