Sega's president, Shuji Utsumi, has stated that the company will continue to produce physical media, even as it acknowledges the increasing importance of digital distribution. In a recent interview with Famitsu, translated by Eurogamer, Utsumi emphasized the need for Sega to be "more digitally conscious and become more global."
Utsumi described digitalization as a critical component of Sega's future business strategy, particularly for "full games" on consoles and PCs. He noted the steady growth of PC gaming and its role in reaching players in regions where consoles are less prevalent. "In order to cultivate that market, we believe it is important to strengthen our digitalization," Utsumi explained.
Despite this focus on digital expansion, Utsumi stressed that physical media remains a vital part of the industry. "We were originally a platform provider, and of course, we still value the culture of physical media," he said. Sega's approach is to "shift so that we can think about and act on the important aspects of digital media in parallel," rather than abandoning physical releases.
This stance offers a contrasting perspective to some industry trends and statements. Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot recently suggested that Sony's planned discontinuation of physical PlayStation discs in January 2028 would not significantly disrupt the industry. However, the move has raised concerns for brick-and-mortar retailers, with some analysts predicting their decline. The decision has also prompted a strong public reaction, evidenced by a petition urging Sony to reconsider its digital-only future for its disc-based releases.