Ken Kutaragi, the visionary behind the PlayStation brand and the design of its first three consoles, has shared his perspective on the ongoing shift away from physical game discs. According to Kutaragi, the public's strong attachment to discs, and the subsequent outcry over their discontinuation by Sony, represents a "mentality issue."
Speaking at the Game Republic New Horizons event, Kutaragi acknowledged that physical discs have become symbolic of game ownership for many players. "I really understand that mentality," he stated, as reported by Video Games Chronicle. However, he also emphasized that this sentiment does not align with economic realities for Sony. "I don't think it's economically reasonable" for the company to continue supporting physical media indefinitely.
Kutaragi drew parallels to other consumer electronics, noting that physical media is not considered essential for devices like smartphones, where users often feel content is retained digitally. "So it's a mentality," he reiterated, suggesting that this mindset has created friction with dedicated gaming enthusiasts.
While Kutaragi retired from his executive roles at PlayStation in 2007, he maintains connections within the company and suggested that a future entirely digital approach, mirroring trends in other tech sectors, might be Sony's direction. "Maybe that's how those people are thinking," he mused.
Beyond the digital transition, Kutaragi also voiced concerns about the current cost of gaming hardware, citing it as an "unhealthy situation." This sentiment is echoed by recent reports indicating that the memory and storage components for the upcoming PlayStation 6 could exceed $680 alone.
Kutaragi proposed that advancements in AI and cloud computing could eventually render traditional consoles obsolete, a notion that may not resonate widely with current console gamers.