PS 'Father' Ken Kutaragi Calls Physical Disc Attachment a 'Mindset Issue,' Foreign Media Pushes Back

PS 'Father' Ken Kutaragi Calls Physical Disc Attachment a 'Mindset Issue,' Foreign Media Pushes Back

According to French outlet Jeuxvideo, PlayStation co-creator Ken Kutaragi recently discussed Sony's gradual move away from physical discs at an event, describing players' attachment to physical media as a 'mindset issue.' The remarks drew strong backlash in player communities after being reported. Kutaragi's rationale is economic: maintaining disc production lines, pressing and logistics are no longer 'economically reasonable' for manufacturers, especially amid rising component costs. He compared the situation to smartphones, saying no one assumes a connected device must rely on physical media because users trust content will be preserved, so this is a 'mindset issue.' The report also notes that some current PlayStation management figures come from streaming and cloud backgrounds such as Gaikai, and view consoles more as terminals for accessing digital content. Jeuxvideo countered with a classic example from Kutaragi himself: when the PS3 launched at a high price and drew widespread complaints, he suggested players 'work harder' so they could afford it. In both cases the math is economic—when players won't pay high prices, they should work harder; when Sony won't bear costs, it becomes a player mindset problem. The report lists practical benefits of physical discs: reselling used copies, lending and sharing, retail competition lowering new-release prices, and avoiding long…