Hideo Kojima Laments Sony's PlayStation Disc Phase-Out

Video game luminary Hideo Kojima, renowned for the Metal Gear series and Death Stranding, has publicly voiced his dismay over Sony's planned discontinuation of PlayStation game discs, set to occur around 2028. Speaking at the Il Cinema in Piazza film festival in Italy, Kojima reflected on the broader implications of a fully digital and streaming-dominated media landscape.

“Since production is ending in 2028, this is about video games, but I grew up with physical media, so I find it really sad,” Kojima stated, as reported by the gaming news account Genki. He revealed that he has been actively acquiring physical media, including Blu-ray films and CDs, in anticipation of potential future limitations.

Kojima elaborated on the distinction between current game ownership and a streaming-based model. "Currently, I’ve been buying up a lot of Blu-rays, such as various movies, and CDs too," he reportedly said. "The situation is different for games, as they are downloaded to the hard drive, that means the game data remains on your own hardware. However, if things shift to streaming in the future, that won’t be the case anymore."

He drew parallels to existing streaming services like Netflix and Amazon, where users gain access to content via subscriptions but do not truly own the data. "With streaming subscription services, like Netflix or Amazon, there is a server somewhere, and you essentially just have the right to turn the tap, and when you do, the data flows out," Kojima explained. "That’s how movies work on these platforms, right? You don’t download the data, you access it directly through a subscription. And the consequence of that is that you don’t actually possess the data yourself."

The Peril of Digital Dependence

The celebrated game designer emphasized the fragility of digital access, warning that changes in global politics, economic conditions, or even shifting ideologies could lead to the sudden unavailability of cherished media. "There are companies that own these servers and let you ‘turn the tap’ for a monthly fee. However, 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," he cautioned. "And if that happens you won’t be able to watch or play the movies and games you like. That is what is frightening."

This concern is amplified by recent events. Sony has already begun removing purchased movies from users' digital libraries once licensing agreements expire, and has previously delisted games, such as the unlaunched title Concord in 2024. The debate over digital ownership has resurfaced, with fans scrutinizing PlayStation's terms of service for clauses that could lead to account deletion due to inactivity.

Kojima's sentiments echo his own past statements on digital ownership. In 2021, he tweeted, "Eventually, even digital data will no longer be owned by individuals on their own initiative." He further articulated his fear: "Whenever there is a major change or accident in the world, in a country, in a government, in an idea, in a trend, access to it may suddenly be cut off. We will not be able to freely access the movies, books, and music that we have loved. I would be a have-not. That’s what I’m afraid of. This is not greed."

The industry is grappling with this shift. While Sony prepares to move away from physical media, potentially around the launch of its PlayStation 6 console, the specifics remain unclear. It is unknown if the PS6 will include an optical drive for backward compatibility with existing discs. Microsoft, meanwhile, is reportedly exploring ways for users to digitize their physical game libraries. Nintendo has adopted game key cards, a controversial format that functions more as a digital download code with the added benefit of resale or trading potential, offering a partial alternative to a purely digital purchase.