Ken Kutaragi, the founder of PlayStation, has pushed back against fans' anger over Sony's plan to discontinue physical game discs, calling it a "mentality issue." The comments come amid a storm of controversy surrounding Sony's decision to stop disc production in 2028, which has drawn major backlash from fans.
Kutaragi: Discs Are a 'Metaphor' for Ownership
Speaking at the Game Republic New Horizons event, Kutaragi said, "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."
He added, "I really understand [why some people are upset]. But I don't think it's economically reasonable. Maybe it's a mentality issue."
Kutaragi retired from PlayStation in 2007 and is best known as the architect of the first three generations of the PlayStation console. Since his departure, two more generations have been released. He currently serves as CEO of Japanese companies Ascent Robotics and Cyber AI Entertainment.
Industry Veterans Weigh In
Former PlayStation executive Shawn Layden called the disc decision a "heavily spreadsheeted decision" and said it damaged the company's reputation. Fans have gathered more than 385,000 signatures on a "Don't Kill the Disc" petition.
Robert Bowling, former creative strategist for Infinity Ward and now studio head at game studio //18.bravo, told Decrypt that publishers are the "only ones ever pushing" to cut physical game discs. He said the move can increase profit margins by reducing production costs and by crushing the game reseller market led by the likes of GameStop.
"It speaks to the divide that has formed in our industry between those who see games as just a software product," Bowling said, "and those who see them as something more like art, entertainment, collectibles, and a lifestyle."
Game industry veteran Chris Heatherly argued that corporate executives are used to "issuing decrees" from their offices and "hiding behind their PR teams," but that approach doesn't work in the social media age. He said Sony isn't "in dialogue" with its audience, so it misjudged how the move would land.
"I think it's insult upon injury for gamers who feel used and abused by these console makers in general," Heatherly told Decrypt. "If you look at Steam, people buy way more games than they play because they like to collect games. What is that other than owning them? You're not playing them at all!"
Heatherly acknowledged that wanting to own online multiplayer games isn't "an entirely rational coherent thought process," since the publisher usually controls the servers anyway. But he believes there is a middle ground.
"I think there are models for ownership worth talking about, but not fake financialized ownership like web3," he told Decrypt. "I think people would be happy with local forever and peer-to-peer [online services], frankly."
Sony's Legal Position on Digital Ownership
Sony has argued in court that no reasonable consumer believes they own digital games they buy on the PlayStation Store, according to court filings. Instead, Sony says that Store purchases equate to purchasing a revocable license.
