Hideo Kojima Warns Sony’s Digital-Only Push Could Hurt Game Ownership

Sony’s reported plan to stop physical disc production by January 2028 has sparked fresh backlash from players, and Hideo Kojima has now joined the debate.

The reported move has already led to petitions from players who want physical games to remain available. Some users are also canceling PlayStation Plus subscriptions in protest, arguing that a disc-less future would give platform holders too much control over access and ownership.

Kojima spoke about the issue at the Il Cinema in Piazza Film Festival in Italy. He said he finds the shift away from physical media “really sad,” warning that digital and streaming-based entertainment changes what ownership means for players and viewers.

His comments were translated and shared by Genki_JPN on X. Kojima later reposted the translation, which suggests it accurately reflected his remarks.

Kojima Says Digital Access Depends on Companies

Kojima compared digital and streaming access to turning on a tap. In that model, the company controls whether the content keeps flowing.

His concern is that users may pay for games, films, music, or books, but still depend on servers, licensing agreements, corporate policies, and legal conditions to keep accessing them.

Kojima said access could change because of companies, politics, laws, licensing disputes, or global events. If the “tap” gets turned off, users may lose access to content they already paid for. This is already happening, as several XBOX games are planned to shut down their servers in August.

That concern is not limited to games. Kojima warned that the same issue could affect movies as more entertainment moves away from physical ownership and toward streaming platforms.

Physical Media and Preservation Concerns

The debate around physical discs is not only about nostalgia. Many players see discs as an important part of game ownership, preservation, collecting, lending, and resale.

A disc-less future could make players more dependent on platform storefronts. It could also give companies greater control over pricing, availability, and long-term access.

Digital games offer clear benefits, including convenience, instant purchases, remote downloads, and less dependence on physical stock. However, the tradeoff is that users no longer fully control the copy they paid for.

Kojima’s broader concern is that culture becomes more fragile when access depends entirely on corporate-controlled systems.

Kojima Raised Similar Concerns Years Ago

Kojima’s latest remarks echo comments he made back in 2001. At the time, he warned that even digital data could eventually stop being truly owned by individuals.

More than two decades later, that warning feels more relevant as gaming, film, music, and books continue shifting toward digital libraries and subscription-based access.

XBOX May Also Move Away From Discs

Microsoft’s next XBOX, reportedly tied to Project Helix, is also expected to move further away from physical discs.

However, Microsoft is reportedly exploring a disc-to-digital system called Positron. That system would allegedly let users convert physical XBOX discs into permanent digital licenses tied to their Microsoft account.

If accurate, this would give players a way to preserve some value from physical collections while still moving toward a digital-first ecosystem.

Via Windows Central