The end of physical game releases as we know them is coming much faster than we expected. By 2028, PlayStation plans to eliminate discs entirely. That doesn't mean studios releasing games on their platforms have to, and Sega is the first major studio to hint that it intends to find other ways to satisfy those who prefer physical games.
Sega President and COO Shuji Utsumi was asked by Famitsu what he thought of physical games, and pointed to the studio's strong relationship with physical media going back decades (thanks to My Nintendo News).
Sega doesn't want to give up on a physical release
Utsumi responded, “We were the original platform providers, and of course we still value physical culture.” “The challenge we face today is not to completely abandon it, but to shift towards one where we can think and act in parallel with important aspects of digital.”
There's no firm answer from the Sega boss as to what exactly the studio plans to do when PlayStation discontinues physical games less than 18 months from now. But if they can figure out a way to make this happen, and if it makes sense, it's a strong indication that Sega will continue to make actual games on the PS5.
There are third-party creators of physical games who can and will continue to release physical games even after PlayStation leaves physical games. For example limited execution. A real video game expert and a company that Sega has collaborated with a lot in the past. The easiest path forward for Sega may be to simply release all physical versions of the game, at least via Limited Run on PS5.
Physical releases on other platforms will continue. Xbox has been suspiciously quiet as physical media fans spew hate towards PlayStation, and the comments section of the newly released Wolverine trailer has become the latest battleground. At least Xbox seems to have plans for a disc-to-digital system that would give people who buy a physical copy of a game a digital copy to match.
Game key cards don't seem so bad after all.
Nintendo doesn't seem to have any plans to hold back on physical releases. The solution was a gaming key card. It's an unpopular workaround that actually feels like the lesser of two evils following the PlayStation bombshell. The card is blank and inserting it into the console will trigger the download. It's not ideal, but it's much better than the code that comes in the box.
There is a way for Sega to continue releasing physical games on PS5 beyond 2028. The real challenge will come when PlayStation launches PS6. This move towards a fully digital future means that PlayStation's next console will not have a disc drive. That means unless PlayStation plans to introduce some sort of disc-to-digital system, there will be no way to play actual games on its next console.
- Establishment date
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June 3, 1960
- CEO
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Hajime Satomi
- subsidiary company
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Sonic Team, Rovio, Relic Entertainment
- headquarters
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Shinagawa Ward, Tokyo, Japan
