- Sega COO Shuji Utsumi says the company still values its physical culture.
- Even if a shift to digital is necessary, the brand has no plans to abandon discs.
- It will continue to make physical editions of its games moving forward as PlayStation pulls out.
Ever since Sony announced the decision to cancel game discs starting in 2028, the debates about physical media have spread across the entire gaming industry. It’s feared that many publishers will soon follow Sony’s lead and stop releasing physical games.
In a new interview, Sega COO Shuji Utsumi assures the concerned fans that it still values its physical culture. He argues that even if a shift to digital is becoming necessary, the company is not going to abandon discs moving forward.
Why it matters: Sega’s decision to continue focusing on physical media despite its apparent decline in value and appeal could also influence other gaming behemoths to stick around and find alternative solutions instead of abandoning discs altogether.
In an interview with Famitsu, Shuji clarifies that Sega began as a platform provider with its lineup of consoles. Therefore, the company holds physical releases in high regard.
The company is currently exploring ways to shift towards digital and work on disc releases at the same time, as this would satisfy both groups in the gaming industry.
We were originally a platform provider, and of course, we still value our physical culture. Rather than completely abandoning that, we are currently challenging ourselves to shift towards being able to think about and act on the important aspects of digital in parallel.
-Sega COO, Shuji Utsumi.
This move would ensure that Sega games are physically preserved. Meanwhile, gamers will also truly own a tangible product instead of a mere digital license that can be revoked anytime.
So, we can expect Sega to keep launching disc editions on the PS5, but it’s unclear how it would respond to the rumored digital-only PS6 and Project Helix.
Do you think Sega will stick to its current ethos in the next 5 to 10 years as the demand for digital media continues to grow, or should we expect a controversial shift anyway? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below, or join the discussion on the Tech4Gamers forum.
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Shameer Sarfaraz has previously worked for eXputer as a Senior News Writer for several years. Now with Tech4Gamers, he loves to devoutly keep up with the latest gaming and entertainment industries. He has a Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science and years of experience reporting on games. Besides his passion for breaking news stories, Shahmeer loves spending his leisure time farming away in Stardew Valley. VGC, IGN, GameSpot, Game Rant, TheGamer, GamingBolt, The Verge, NME, Metro, Dot Esports, GameByte, Kotaku Australia, PC Gamer, and more have cited his articles.
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