Rockstar Games co-founder Dan Houser has weighed in on the escalating debate over physical versus digital game distribution, telling IGN at San Diego Comic-Con 2026 that companies should continue offering physical releases as long as consumers demand them. The comment lands amid a turbulent summer for disc-based gaming, with Sony Interactive Entertainment announcing the end of physical disc production for new PlayStation titles and Rockstar’s own Grand Theft Auto 6 shipping without a disc at launch.
“I don’t know that I care, but if people want that, I think companies should provide it,” Houser said during the IGN interview, according to the outlet’s published coverage. He added that digital distribution carries its own advantages, noting that the format allows developers to push updates and bug fixes after release, which he described as useful for quality.
Former Rockstar writer Lazlow Jones, who appeared alongside Houser in the same interview, offered a more mixed view. Jones said there is something fulfilling about owning a physical object, but also expressed appreciation for being able to download games at any moment.
The interview took place as the physical-media debate has moved from industry speculation to concrete corporate policy. On July 1, 2026, Sony Interactive Entertainment confirmed on the official PlayStation Blog that physical disc production for all new games releasing on PlayStation consoles will end starting January 2028. After that date, new titles will be available only through the PlayStation Store or as digital download codes sold at retail. Sony stated the move would “enable us to align more closely with how most of our community prefers to access and play games today,” and clarified that the transition does not affect games already released or scheduled for release before the cutoff.
The issue gained additional urgency when Rockstar confirmed in June that GTA 6 will not ship on a physical disc. Physical copies of the game, which launches November 19, 2026, will instead contain a download code inside the box. Pre-orders opened June 25, with boxed code editions becoming available November 12. The decision makes GTA 6,widely expected to be one of the largest entertainment launches of the year,a digital-only release despite the presence of retail packaging.
The backlash was immediate and sustained. A petition titled “Don’t Kill the Disc: Tell Sony to Keep Physical PlayStation Games,” created by Jade Pearce, chief executive of Canadian retailer PNP Games Inc., has gathered 346,824 verified signatures. The petition does not oppose digital distribution itself, but argues against making it the only option. Supporters have cited concerns ranging from game preservation and resale rights to limited internet access and the long-term reliability of digital licenses tied to platform-holder servers.
Sony has not publicly responded to the petition. The company’s disc-manufacturing arm, Sony DADC, is already converting its Austrian production facility to automotive and industrial microlenses, a retooling project backed by a €30 million investment, according to reports from Kotaku and TechRadar. The plant, which historically produced roughly half of all PlayStation discs, is scheduled to begin mass production of its new product line in 2027.
Houser’s stance does not commit Rockstar to reversing its own disc-free launch for GTA 6, nor does it address Sony’s broader platform policy. But as one of the most recognizable figures in game development, his statement adds a notable voice to the argument that consumer demand,not corporate convenience,should determine whether physical games remain available.