Renowned game director Hideo Kojima has voiced his dismay regarding Sony's decision to cease physical game disc production, a move he finds "really sad" and potentially "frightening." Kojima shared his thoughts at Italy's Il Cinema in Piazza festival, highlighting concerns about the implications of a future dominated by cloud streaming and digital ownership.
Kojima explained that while current game data resides on a player's hardware, a shift to streaming could alter this fundamental aspect of ownership. He drew parallels to subscription services like Netflix, where users gain access to a library of content without possessing the media itself. However, he cautioned that this model carries significant risks.
"With nations, politics and various ways of thinking, one naturally has to consider the possibility that if there is a change, the data inside will stop being distributed," Kojima stated. "And if that happens you won't be able to watch or play the movies and games you like. That is what is frightening."
He urged attendees to consider that the changes affecting video games today might foreshadow similar shifts in other media, such as films, in the future.
Sony announced it will end the production of physical game discs starting January 2028. The company has since clarified that discs can still be ordered for games released before this cut-off date. Demand for external disc drives has surged, leading Sony to limit purchases to one per order. The sole factory responsible for PlayStation discs has already begun transitioning its operations to a microfilm production line.