Disgaea Creator Suggests PlayStation Should Abandon Consoles If Discs Are Discontinued

When Disgaea: Hour of Darkness launched on the PlayStation 2 back in 2003, it came with a hefty instruction manual to guide newcomers through its strategic gameplay. Over the years, gamers have grown used to finding empty PlayStation cases aside from the disc, but starting in 2028, those discs will be a thing of the past. Sohei Niikawa, the mind behind Disgaea, recently shared his thoughts on what this change means for fans.

“Physical editions of games hold significant importance,” he mentioned in a recent interview at Anime Expo 2026. “For fans, having a tangible copy of a beloved game can be incredibly valuable. It transforms into a memory or a keepsake tied to something meaningful.”

Niikawa emphasized that physical games allow players to bring them to events and get them signed by developers. “Once they’re home, they can display them and personalize their space,” he noted. “Physical games matter because they carry that kind of sentimental value.”

While he understands Sony’s business rationale behind this shift, he suggested that the decision-makers may not fully grasp how fans cherish physical games at conventions like Anime Expo.

Despite Sony’s move away from game discs, game boxes will still exist. The company has indicated that publishers can continue to provide cases for retail, but these will only contain download codes instead of physical media. This is the route Grand Theft Auto VI is taking with its upcoming release in November.

Niikawa also proposed that if Sony is eliminating discs, they might as well remove the entire physical setup for gaming at home. “If they’re going to eliminate physical packages, they might as well get rid of the hardware too,” he stated. “A television would suffice. Why keep the console? If physical games are going, they might as well go all in.”

The renowned Disgaea producer, who led Nippon Ichi Software until 2022, has since launched his own game studio and is gearing up for the release of a new strategy RPG titled Demons’ Night Fever. This game will indeed have a physical version available when it debuts later this year.