Ken Kutaragi, the engineer widely recognized as the father of the PlayStation, has weighed in on the ongoing controversy surrounding Sony’s decision to phase out physical discs for the PS5. Speaking at the Game Republic New Horizons conference in Middlesbrough, England, on October 15, Kutaragi stated that while he understands the anger among gamers, maintaining physical media is no longer economically sensible.
Ownership vs. Licensing
Kutaragi, who served as chairman and group CEO of Sony Computer Entertainment before leaving the company in 2007, noted that physical discs have evolved into a symbol of game ownership. He suggested that the strong resistance to a disc-free PlayStation might stem from a “mentality issue” rather than a technical necessity. He compared modern consoles to smartphones, arguing that in an era where most people are constantly online, users generally trust that their digital content will remain accessible.
This perspective contrasts with Sony’s current legal stance. In August, the company argued in a California federal court that consumers do not own digital downloads but hold a license to play them, a license that can be revoked. Kutaragi acknowledged that discs have become a metaphor for true ownership, a sentiment that drives much of the current debate.
Strategic Shift to Digital
Sony announced in July that it would stop producing disc-based PlayStation games starting in January 2028. The company cited a clear shift in consumer behavior, with digital downloads accounting for 82 percent of full-game sales on PS4 and PS5 during the April to June quarter. Physical software generated only ¥20.5 billion of the ¥526.6 billion Sony earned from game software in that period, representing less than four percent of total revenue.
Kutaragi predicted this transition as far back as 2006, telling GameSpot that digital distribution would eventually make discs obsolete. He also observed that current PlayStation leadership views the platform differently than he did during his tenure. He pointed out that Sony Interactive Entertainment has recruited many executives from Gaikai and other streaming businesses, suggesting they see PlayStation as a content terminal rather than just a traditional game console.
Sony CFO Lin Tao addressed the backlash during a July 31 earnings call, stating the company would proceed cautiously despite strong opinions from players. An online petition against the move had already gathered over 352,000 signatures by that time.
Political and Industry Reactions
Kutaragi is the third former PlayStation executive to comment on the issue. Shuhei Yoshida, former president of Sony Worldwide Studios, stated in August that he is a fully digital player and sees no major problem with losing discs. Former Worldwide Studios chairman Shawn Layden described a disc-free future as “depressing, but solvable,” if Sony licensed its disc-pressing process to outside manufacturers like Microsoft does for Xbox.
The debate has also reached the halls of Congress. Representative Ritchie Torres announced the Power to the Players Act on October 15. The proposed legislation would direct the Federal Trade Commission to create rules treating purchased games as owned property rather than licensed content. It would also require online games to include an offline mode before their servers shut down. The bill has not yet been formally introduced.
Source: Engadget
