Ken Kutaragi says keeping PlayStation games on disc is hard to justify
Ken Kutaragi, who led development of the original PlayStation, PS2 and PS3, says he understands why players object to Sony ending disc production but considers keeping physical games economically difficult to justify. He suggests the attachment to discs partly reflects their role as a symbol of owning a game, while modern players expect content to be available online.
Kutaragi’s comments are his personal views; he left Sony in 2007. Sony plans to stop making disc-based PlayStation games from January 2028, citing the shift to digital: downloads accounted for 82 per cent of full-game sales in the April to June quarter, while physical software made up less than four per cent of game software revenue. The debate also concerns ownership, as Sony has argued that digital purchases are licences, and a proposed US bill would direct the FTC to treat purchased games as owned.
In short
- Ken Kutaragi understands Sony’s economic case for ending discs.
- Digital downloads made up 82 per cent of recent full-game sales.
- The debate also raises questions about who owns digital games.
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The case for
Moving away from discs reflects how most players now buy games, and Sony’s figures suggest physical production serves a small share of sales while carrying ongoing manufacturing and distribution costs. Digital releases can make games easier to access and update, so continuing disc production may be difficult to justify commercially if demand keeps shifting online.
The case against
Discs give players a tangible copy they can keep, lend or resell, while a digital purchase may only grant a licence subject to a platform’s terms. Ending production would remove that option for people who value durable access, have limited or unreliable internet, or want to preserve games independently of Sony’s services. The ownership concern gives physical copies a value that sales figures alone may not capture.
Explained simply
Ken Kutaragi led the development of Sony’s first three PlayStation consoles and left the company in 2007. His views on games reflect his own perspective; he no longer speaks for Sony.
PlayStation games have traditionally been sold on discs as well as online. Discs can be kept and lent, while digital games are downloaded and tied to a user’s account.
The shift to digital raises questions about convenience, business costs and what it means to own a game. A digital purchase may be treated as a licence to use the game, rather than ownership of a physical copy.
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Originally published by Engadget as “‘Father of the PlayStation’ Ken Kutaragi sides with Sony on the physical discs debate”.