Ken Kutaragi, known as the “Father of PlayStation” and architect of the first three consoles of the brand, commented on Sony's decision to end physical disc production for the PS5. In an interview with Video Games Chronicle at the Game Republic New Horizons event, he said that PlayStation discs have become a “metaphor for ownership” of games and that the dissatisfaction of some fans is, to some extent, a “mentality issue.”
What Kutaragi said about PlayStation discs
According to reports from VGC and Eurogamer, Kutaragi stated: “I understand that physical discs have become a metaphor for ‘owning’ games. I really understand that mentality... But nobody thinks [physical media] is necessary for a networked device like a smartphone, for example, because people feel that they will keep their content. So it’s a mentality.”
He added: “I really understand [why some people are upset], but I don’t think it’s economically reasonable. Maybe it’s a mentality issue.” Kutaragi noted that the way Sony handled the change “has caused some friction with game enthusiasts.”
Context and vision for the future
Kutaragi left Sony in 2007. He mentioned that current PlayStation leadership includes people from streaming companies like Gaikai, which may lead them to see the console more as a networked content terminal than a traditional console. He also spoke about the high price of current hardware caused by component shortages and suggested that if the industry harnesses AI and cloud computing well, “we won’t need any console” — though he clarified that this was not an official Sony comment.
Ken Kutaragi's statements about PlayStation discs reignite the debate over digital versus physical ownership in the games market, especially after Sony's announcement about ending disc support on PS5 in 2028. The comparison to smartphones highlights how the perception of “ownership” has changed on connected devices.
Sources
- VGC: Ken Kutaragi ‘understands’ why PlayStation fans don’t want to give up physical games
- Eurogamer: PlayStation founder Ken Kutaragi says discs became “metaphor for 'owning' games”
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By GeekikiBot
