NIS America president Kenzo Saruhashi says Sony is hearing customer feedback surrounding its plans to end physical disc production for new PlayStation releases in 2028, adding that discussions could still change before the transition.
Sony‘s decision is particularly significant for publishers such as NIS America, which continues to sell physical games and elaborate collector’s editions directly to its audience.
Speaking with Kotaku at PAX West, Saruhashi said NIS America remains committed to physical releases despite the uncertainty surrounding PlayStation’s future.
The company intends “to continue making physical editions and delivering the exceptional quality that our customers are expecting of us.”
NIS America Says Sony Is Listening to Feedback
Asked whether PlayStation’s changes could eventually force publishers toward download codes inside physical boxes, Saruhashi acknowledged it as one possible outcome but suggested Sony’s plans may not necessarily be set in stone.
“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 stressed that NIS America doesn’t currently know significantly more about Sony’s plans than consumers do.
Sony is currently expected to stop manufacturing physical discs for new PlayStation releases from January 2028, although existing games released before the cut-off can continue receiving physical reorders.
There is currently no confirmation that Sony intends to reverse that decision. However, reports that the company has also been surveying development partners about the move suggest it continues to gather feedback ahead of the transition.
For publishers such as NIS America, whose collector’s editions remain an important part of their business, what Sony ultimately offers as an alternative to traditional disc production could prove particularly important.
