Disgaea Studio Head Says Sony Is ‘Listening’ to Fan Pushback Against a Discless Future: ‘The Conversation Could Shift’

Sony’s abrupt decision to move away from physical media in the long run, insofar as it pertains to its own platforms, has become a prolonged public-relations problem. The plan is summarized by the phrase “no discs past 2028.” Months later, comments under PlayStation posts remain swamped with “no disc, no buy,” and some of those replies attract more traction than the advertised content itself.

Now the company appears to be reassessing. PlayStation has started collecting information from developers through a questionnaire about discs, and Nippon Ichi Software’s chief executive, Kenzo Saruhashi, says Sony may change its tune.

Background: Why “No Discs Past 2028” Matters

Sony is not only a console maker. PlayStation’s ecosystem includes disc versions of consoles and separate disc drives, while publishers and players still buy boxed games. The “no discs past 2028” direction is therefore not a small packaging change. It affects collectors, retail sales, and developers whose businesses depend on physical editions.

The issue also touches a wider format question. Sony is one of the main owners of Blu-ray technology. If PlayStation stops using discs on its own platform, the move could restrict the physical-media ecosystem or disadvantage competitors that still rely on optical formats.

For Nippon Ichi Software, the Disgaea studio, the concern is practical. The company is heavily dependent on producing physical versions of its games.

Development: Silence, Backlash, and a Questionnaire

Sony’s handling of the issue has been marked by what the original report described as an “oppressive silence.” Despite that silence, consumer resistance has not faded. Posts from PlayStation are still flooded with “no disc, no buy” statements, and some comments receive more attention than the promotion itself.

The backlash appears to be having an impact. PlayStation recently began collecting information from developers via a questionnaire about discs. The questionnaire is being used to analyze feedback and determine whether Sony will stick to its “no discs past 2028” plan.

The report came from Destructoid, which first published the story and also distributes the Destructoid Checkpoint newsletter.

Latest Progress: Developers Say Sony Is Listening

Speaking with Kotaku, Kenzo Saruhashi, chief executive of Nippon Ichi Software, said Sony is “hearing a lot of the feedback from customers” and may eventually change its position.

Saruhashi said boxes with codes might be “one possibility” for physical editions after 2028, but he also said the company is having a continued discussion with Sony about what comes next.

He told Kotaku: “In our discussions with Sony so far, I think that they’re hearing a lot of the feedback from customers, and so while that may be one destination that we arrive at, it’s possible that the discussion may change in the future, so we’ll have to see what happens [and] what comes of it.”

What the Outcome Could Mean for Players and Publishers

If Sony keeps the “no discs past 2028” plan, publishers that rely on physical editions would need to adapt to digital-only or hybrid distribution. A “boxes with codes” option could preserve the retail format while reducing or eliminating actual discs. But it would also create new questions for players who want to own, loan, resell, or collect games in a traditional way.

For developers, the stakes are uneven. Studios with strong physical sales, such as Nippon Ichi Software, have direct exposure. Sony, meanwhile, faces both commercial and reputational pressure: it must balance a long-run platform strategy against a customer base that has repeatedly said “no disc, no buy.”

Current Stage: No Decision, But the Door Is Open Again

At present, Sony has not publicly abandoned the “no discs past 2028” plan. The new signal is that PlayStation has moved from silence to feedback collection, and developers are describing ongoing talks rather than a final settlement. The timeline remains centered on 2028, while the possible future formats—full physical editions, discless boxes with codes, or another model—remain under discussion.