Shuhei Yoshida – the ex-president of Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE) – suggests he’s not too bothered by the digital-only future of PlayStation games. Sony’s decision to end PlayStation disc production, effective from January 2028, continues to face heavy backlash online. “I didn’t know they were planning that,” he says, but admits to being a “totally digital consumer”.

“I don’t want to manage or swap discs,” says Yoshida. On top of handling discs, he notes that “Anyone who chooses to purchase a physical version will still need to download new patches, DLC, or updates”. The ex-Sony boss also says collectors should have physical media to enjoy, but downplays the importance of the disc itself: “I don’t understand if it’s such a big issue”.

Collectors should have physical media to enjoy, even without the disc

Shuhei Yoshida was recently interviewed by GamerBraves, discussing topics from AI to Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 and, of course, his views on the digital future of PlayStation. There’s no denying that digital sales massively outweigh physical sales in the modern market – gamers also rushed to pre-order GTA 6, despite launching without a disc in any of its versions.

“I know there are collectors of physical games. They have walls full of physical packages, and for them, it would be a shame if physical games were no longer available to collect,” says Yoshida; he expects collector’s editions to still be a thing, albeit with a download code – not a disc. “For collectors who enjoy physical packages and special editions, I think they will still be able to purchase those physical packages,” he added.

“But personally, I’m a totally digital consumer. I don’t want to manage discs or swap discs. I want all my games on my dashboard, and I just select a game and play it. So, I’m completely digital.”

“Even with physical disc games, in most cases, developers are constantly updating and adding game data anyway. Anyone who chooses to purchase a physical version will still need to download new patches, DLC, or updates. So, not having a disc, I don’t understand if it’s such a big issue.”

Shuhei Yoshida, video game producer and former president of Sony Interactive Entertainment, via GamerBraves

Yoshida also touched on the topic of pricing, which remains a worry among gamers forced to shop exclusively in the PlayStation Store. “The digital price point can be anything. Publishers can choose whatever price they want for a digital game,” he says, also noting their control over sales & discounts. At the same time, he admits the end of discs will certainly disrupt the second-hand market: “For those people who choose to buy or sell games, the lack of discs may become an issue”.

This is yet to be confirmed in any official way, but many gamers may now expect the PS6 to be digital-only. There is currently no official release date for the console, and even Sony’s current CEO (Hiroki Totoki) admits this remains undecided, largely due to memory-shortage-related disruption. In any case, backlash against the end of physical discs rages on.

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.