Sony’s reported plan to stop newly released PlayStation games from shipping on discs in January 2028 may not be as settled as it looks. Kenzo Saruhashi, president of Nippon Ichi Software, said recent discussions with Sony showed that the company was hearing customer feedback and that the conversation could still change.
Speaking at PAX West earlier this month, Saruhashi told Kotaku, “In our discussions with Sony so far, I think that they’re hearing a lot of the feedback from customers and so while that may be one destination that we arrive at, it’s possible that the discussion may change in the future, so we’ll have to see what happens, what comes of it.”
His comments do not amount to a reversal. Sony has not indicated that it is abandoning the 2028 direction, while a separate unsubstantiated video report claimed that the company was surveying developers about the decision. Neither point confirms a policy change, but both leave room for the possibility that Sony is still weighing the response.
Physical releases are especially important to Nippon Ichi’s business. Saruhashi said the company intends to continue producing physical limited editions, although future PlayStation packages could eventually contain download codes instead of game discs if Sony follows through with the cutoff. NIS America’s elaborate collector’s releases, including products sold through its own store, are built around the appeal of physical editions, even if the game itself eventually arrives as a code.
Sony’s current plan would make newly released PlayStation games digital only from January 2028, while discs for games released before then would continue to work. Packaging for disc-equipped PS5 consoles has already pointed to that January 2028 cutoff. Sony has also said it will continue supplying retailers with a solution after the change, and codes in boxes remain one possible answer.
Sony would have clear financial reasons to move away from discs. A digital-only model would remove disc manufacturing costs, reduce the need to share revenue with retailers, give Sony more control over PlayStation Store pricing, and keep used-game sales outside the traditional resale market.
For now, Saruhashi’s comments offer an opening for discussion rather than evidence that Sony has changed course. Physical-game collectors and publishers built around deluxe editions will be watching to see whether customer feedback changes the company’s position before the 2028 plan arrives.
Would codes in boxes be an acceptable compromise for collector’s editions, or would that miss the point of buying physical? Follow us on X, Bluesky, YouTube, Instagram, Steam, and Telegram.
