Over a month has passed since GTA 6 pre-orders went live, and to no surprise, they have been a massive success for Rockstar Games and its parent company, Take-Two Interactive. Today (August 7), Take-Two had its latest earnings call, with CEO Strauss Zelnick celebrating “an exceptional start to pre-orders” for Grand Theft Auto VI. Then he also commented on the disc fiasco.

While Sony continues to receive backlash for its decision to stop producing PlayStation discs, starting January 2028, the latest in the physical media and discs debate comes from Zelnick. During a Q&A session in today’s earnings call, the CEO noted, “I’m not going to comment on Sony’s own decision,” but also added that physical discs “don’t really make sense for the customer”.

Strauss Zelnick’s comments on the future of physical discs

“In most instances, you have to register online to play anyhow. So if you’re already connected, like, who cares if you download digitally, it’s all the same, and it’s much more convenient,” said Zelnick during the Q&A session. We should point out that GTA 6 is a digital-only launch, and while there will be physical boxes available, they ship with only a download code inside.

“So that’s where the world is going, in our opinion. I think Sony understands that. We certainly understand that,” he adds. “That doesn’t mean that we won’t have physical additions now and then. I’m sure we will in the same way that there’s still vinyl in the recorded music business. But in other instances, it just won’t make sense,” he says.

Comparing the future of physical video games to vinyl records, Zelnick does at least offer some hope to physical media collectors or preservationists, by hinting the company will still produce physical content “now and then”. Video game publishing has very much become a digital business, so focusing on discs for such a massive launch is no longer a priority.

“I’m not going to comment on Sony’s own decision. But in terms of our decision, look, our business is well over 90% digitally distributed, as it is. It’s already a digital business. So in certain instances, especially if it’s a big game, you know, discs, and note I said discs, don’t really make sense for the consumer.”

Strauss Zelnick, CEO of Take-Two Interactive, during Q1 2027 Earnings Conference Call

Despite all the backlash against Sony’s decision, Grand Theft Auto 6 is doing just fine without a disc. Along with the pre-order revenue buzz, Zelnick also expects the GTA 6 anticipation to build even higher with the upcoming An Extended Look special premiering on Netflix on August 27 – and coming to YouTube later on the very same day.

About the Author

Jack Goodall

At PC Guide, Jack is mostly responsible for reporting on hardware deals. He also specializes in monitors, TVs, and headsets and can be found putting his findings together in a review or best-of guide.