NIS America CEO Discusses Future of Physical PlayStation Releases
- According to comments made by Nippon Ichi Software and NIS America President Kenzo Saruhashi during PAX West 2026, Sony is listening to feedback regarding physical media, which could...
- Speaking with Kotaku at PAX West 2026, Kenzo Saruhashi addressed how the ongoing shift toward digital distribution impacts companies that rely heavily on physical releases.
- Saruhashi explained that NIS operated using the same public information available to consumers and lacked early insight into what other corporations planned to do.
According to comments made by Nippon Ichi Software and NIS America President Kenzo Saruhashi during PAX West 2026, Sony is listening to feedback regarding physical media, which could influence future decisions. The official industry expectation remains that upcoming PlayStation software releases will transition away from physical discs after 2028.
PlayStation Disc Strategy and Publisher Pressure
Speaking with Kotaku at PAX West 2026, Kenzo Saruhashi addressed how the ongoing shift toward digital distribution impacts companies that rely heavily on physical releases. NIS America is well known for producing physical collector editions packed with memorabilia and merchandise. Saruhashi noted that his firm has experienced friction with digital-only distribution models, pointing to customer complaints surrounding game-key cards introduced for the Switch 2 platform.
Saruhashi explained that NIS operated using the same public information available to consumers and lacked early insight into what other corporations planned to do. Despite industry trends, the company intends to keep manufacturing limited physical editions because physical goods remain a crucial component of its business model and meet clear audience expectations. When asked whether publishers might resort to placing download codes inside empty boxes amid rising digitization, Saruhashi offered an unexpected perspective based on conversations with Sony.
As Saruhashi noted, based on the discussions we’ve had with Sony so far, I think they hear a lot of the feedback, so that could be an option, but that could change in the future too
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Surveys and the 2028 Horizon
The comments from the NIS America executive align with recent industry rumors suggesting that PlayStation has distributed questionnaires to developers regarding physical sales habits and market retention.
Kotaku noted that Saruhashi’s outlook might reflect a degree of corporate optimism rather than a confirmed policy shift. Consequently, the official industry expectation remains that upcoming PlayStation software releases will transition away from physical discs after 2028.