- Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot says Sony’s plan to end production of physical game discs won’t have a major impact on the industry
- Guillemot says there are pros and cons to the decision
- He says: “I think it won’t disrupt the industry too much”
Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot does not believe that Sony’s decision to stop production of physical game discs will have a significant impact on the industry.
Guillemot’s comment comes from an earnings call following the release of its first quarter 2026-27 sales (via VGC), where the CEO was asked whether Sony’s plan to end disc production from January 2028 could have a positive or negative effect on the future of the games industry.
While many disagree with Sony’s decision, and some analysts predict it will jeopardize the $7.2 billion used game market, Guillemot doesn’t believe it will have a major impact on the industry as a whole.
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“What we saw on the PC is that it helped grow the market,” Guillemot said. “There is also some pressure for the future on the cost of machines and being able to be digital only will help to have a more accessible machine I think.
“As you said, there are pluses and minuses, but I don’t think it will disrupt the industry too much.”
Sony announced its plan earlier this month and saw an overwhelming backlash from fans. According to Wedbush Securities managing director of strategic planning, Michael Pachter, Sony’s plan to phase out discs in two years is now a threat to the used game market.
“Realistically, at least a third of games have historically been sold as used, and the games that were sold also provided currency to the player who traded them in as cash to pay for new games,” Pachter said. “Retail’s brick and mortar game is doomed.”
Sega president Shuji Utsumi has also addressed the controversy, saying that while the digital shift is “crucial”, the company still understands the importance of physical media.
Similarly, former Nippon Ichi Software CEO Sohei Niikawa understands the decision “from a purely business perspective” but says physical editions are still “very important” to fans.
“If they’re going to go as far as eliminating physical packages, they might as well eliminate the hardware,” Niikawa 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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