- Sega president Shuji Utsumi has addressed Sony’s decision to stop the production of game discs
- Says Utsumi: “We still value the culture of physical media,” but “a digital shift is essential”
- He adds, “It is important to strengthen our digitization” in the current market
Sega president Shuji Utsumi has addressed the controversy surrounding Sony’s decision to end production of game discs in 2028, acknowledging the importance of physical media but that the digital shift is “crucial”.
In a recent interview with Japanese publication Famitsu (via Eurogamer), Utsumi explained that the digital market needs to be cultivated and Sega believes in strengthening digitalization.
“When it comes to titles we call ‘full games’ for consoles and PCs, we believe a digital shift is essential,” said Utsumi. “Of course, consoles are important, but the percentage of people playing on PCs is steadily increasing. Even in areas where consoles are not widely available, there are many people who say, ‘I can play it on PC’.”
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He added: “To grow that market, we think it’s important to strengthen our digitization. We tend to think from a physical perspective, so I think we need to be more digitally aware and become more global.”
Utsumi then touched on Sega’s hardware history, saying that even though it is no longer in the console market and now primarily publishes games, the company has not forgotten its roots and the importance of physical media.
“We were originally a platform provider, and of course we still value the culture of physical media,” the president said. “Instead of abandoning it entirely, we are currently challenging ourselves to shift so that we can think about and act on the important aspects of digital media in parallel.”
Sony announced its plan to withdraw new physical discs earlier this month, explaining that the transition to all-digital games “will enable us to adapt more to how most of our society prefers to access and play games today.”
PlayStation fans continue to push back against the decision, but analysts believe the company will not change its mind.
It’s also said that the $7.2 billion used video game market could be at risk as a result of Sony’s decision, with Wedbush Securities managing director of strategic planning Michael Pachter reporting that “brick and mortar game retail is doomed.”
Elsewhere, the former Nippon Ichi Software CEO has protested the plan, saying that while he understands it “From a purely business perspective,” Sony doesn’t understand the feelings of these fans.
“If they’re going to go as far as eliminating physical packages, they might as well eliminate the hardware,” he said. “A television would do. Why would you use the console? If you’re going to get rid of physical games, you might as well go all the way.”
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