Metal Gear Solid and Death Stranding creator Hideo Kojima has voiced his concerns about a ‘frightening’ digital future in the wake of Sony’s announcement to end production for physical PlayStation discs by January 2028.
Kojima shared his thoughts during a conversation at the Il Cinema in Piazza film festival in Rome, highlighting the shift away from physical media and the potential implications for the entertainment industry.
‘Since production is ending in 2028, this is about video games, but I grew up with physical media, so I find it really sad,’ Kojima said. ‘Currently, I’ve been buying up a lot of Blu-rays, such as various movies, and CDs too.’
Kojima’s comments follow the news that production of new PlayStation discs would come to an end in January 2028. Although he doesn’t seem to directly reference Sony by name, it’s clear that he’s expressing his concerns about the company’s decision.
The creator of Metal Gear Solid and Death Stranding has been vocal about his love for video games, movies, and music. His recent comments have resurfaced a message he shared in 2021, warning that individuals may soon have access to data stripped away, resurfaced.
‘We will not be able to freely access the movies, books, and music that we have loved,’ Kojima said at the time.
Kojima took his presence at the film festival to update listeners on his perspective on an all-digital future. He also touched on streaming, and how it will affect not only games, but other media, too.
‘The situation is different for games, as they are downloaded to the hard drive, that means the game data remains on your own hardware,’ Kojima continued. ‘However, if things shift to streaming in the future, that won’t be the case anymore. With streaming subscription services, like Netflix or Amazon, there is a server somewhere, and you essentially just have the right to turn the tap, and when you do, the data flows out.’
Kojima emphasized that the consequence of this shift is that you don’t actually possess the data yourself. This raises concerns about the ownership and control of digital content.
Fans of physical media ownership have had a lot to be upset about in recent weeks. In late June, Rockstar Games announced that the physical version of GTA 6 would come in a box with no disc, with the game itself available only as a download code.
The aftermath of Sony’s decision to end physical disc production for PlayStation games has been especially brutal. Major corporations, celebrities, and the average gamer have blasted the company for its decision, but it appears unlikely to U-turn on the move.
All of this arrives just as Sony told digital movie fans they would soon lose access to a library of more than 550 films, even if they had already purchased them.
Signs seem to point to a focus on digital gaming as the PS6 and Project Helix consoles loom, and players aren’t looking forward to what the future may hold. Kojima isn’t either.
‘There are companies that own these servers and let you ‘turn the tap’ for a monthly fee,’ he continued. ‘However, with nations, politics and various ways of thinking, one naturally has to consider the possibility that if there is a change, the data inside will stop being distributed. And if that happens you won’t be able to watch or play the movies and games you like.’
Kojima emphasized that this is what’s ‘frightening’ about the shift to an all-digital future. He urged everyone to keep this in mind, noting that the situation with video games in 2028 might also happen to movies.
Kojima Productions wrapped up work on Death Stranding 2: On the Beach last year. Next up is his horror project, OD, which is safe at Xbox following recent reports of impending studio closures and cancelations.
