Sony is hearing feedback on disc plans, says Nippon Ichi Software president

Sony has faced sustained backlash over its plan to discontinue physical PlayStation discs by 2028, but the company may be reconsidering the decision. Kenzo Saruhashi, president of Nippon Ichi Software, suggested that Sony remains open to changing course.

"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, what comes of it," Saruhashi told Kotaku at PAX West earlier this month.

Nippon Ichi Software and its publishing subsidiary NIS America are major publishers of physical JRPGs, including the Disgaea series, Ys, and Trails. The company produces deluxe collector's editions that depend on physical media, making disc discontinuation a significant business concern.

"Speaking for myself, I know that a big part of our business model, particularly with NISA, is producing our physical limited editions, and that's an important part of our business and we, for our part, intend to continue making those physical editions and delivering the exceptional quality that our customers are expecting of us," Saruhashi added.

Saruhashi's comments arrive as unconfirmed reports suggest Sony is surveying developers about the disc decision. The company stands to benefit financially from eliminating physical media by reducing manufacturing costs, avoiding retailer revenue sharing, and preventing used game sales. However, the move has prompted concerns among players invested in owning physical copies and collector's editions.