Rockstar Games co-founder Dan Houser said companies should provide physical game releases if players want them during a 2026 Tribeca Festival interview [1].

The comments highlight a growing tension between the gaming industry's shift toward digital-only distribution and the preferences of collectors and consumers. As hardware manufacturers move away from discs, the debate over game ownership and accessibility has intensified.

Houser discussed his philosophy on open-world gaming, saying that there is no single correct way to experience these titles. He emphasized that player enjoyment should remain the priority. "If someone enjoyed a game, that's great," Houser said [1].

This perspective on player freedom extends to how games are purchased and stored. Houser said the industry should remain responsive to consumer demand regarding physical media. "If people want physical game releases then companies should provide it," Houser said [2].

The discussion comes amid reports regarding the future of PlayStation hardware. Houser said that Sony plans to stop releasing physical disc games for PlayStation consoles starting in January 2028 [3]. This transition would mark a significant shift for one of the largest console ecosystems in the world, effectively ending the era of the physical disc for the platform.

By advocating for physical media, Houser aligns himself with a segment of the gaming community that views physical copies as a safeguard against the removal of digital licenses. His comments suggest that market demand, rather than corporate convenience, should drive the decision to maintain physical production lines [2].

“"If people want physical game releases then companies should provide it."”

The potential end of physical discs for PlayStation in 2028 signals a broader industry move toward a 'service-based' model of ownership. Houser's advocacy for physical media underscores a conflict between corporate efforts to reduce overhead and distribution costs and the consumer desire for permanent, tangible ownership of software.