PlayStation founder calls disc phaseout reaction a mentality issue

Ken Kutaragi says the backlash to Sony ending physical disc production for PlayStation titles by January 2028 is a mentality issue. The PlayStation founder told Video Games Chronicle he understands physical discs have become a metaphor for owning games.

Kutaragi says people do not think physical media is necessary for networked devices like smartphones because they feel they will keep their content. He says the disc discontinuation is not economically reasonable to maintain.

Sony announced earlier this year it will end physical disc production for all PlayStation titles by January 2028. GTA 6 will release as a strictly digital title, adding to concerns about game ownership.

Kutaragi founded PlayStation and oversaw production of the first three PlayStation consoles as Sony CEO before retiring in 2007. He says PlayStation is shifting toward a network-focused platform with staff from streaming companies like Gaikai viewing it as a content terminal rather than just a game console.