GTA 6 boss explains why Sony has ditched discs for PlayStation games

Take-Two Interactive's Strauss Zelnick is in danger of aggravating an already disgruntled gaming community, with the gaming boss seemingly defending Sony's decision to stop producing physical PlayStation discs in January 2028.

2026 is shaping up to be one of the biggest in gaming history, and away from Marvel's Wolverine releasing as a PS5 exclusive, GTA 6 is backing the PS5 Pro as the ultimate way to play the upcoming automotive adventure.

Even though GTA VI isn't a platform exclusive, Sony has secured a major marketing deal that includes "plays best on PS5" branding and digital pre-order bonuses on the PlayStation Store.

It's impossible to say whether this played into Zelnick's latest musings, although he suggested to investors during a Q1 2027 financial release Q&A (via IGN) that he might see where Sony is coming from.

Thousands of angry gamers have signed petitions imploring the gaming giant to reverse its decision, and even though others are trying to sue, it looks like there's no going back as one disc factory has already been repurposed.

Speaking during a Q&A with analysts following the company’s Q1 2027 financial release, Zelnick doubled down on the lack of a disc for GTA 6 and explained: "Our business is well over 90% digitally distributed. It's already a digital business. So in certain instances, especially if it's a big game, discs just — and note I said discs — don't really make sense for the consumer."

Adding that most games require you to register online before playing anyway, he suggests that it's a natural transition: "So if you're already connected, who cares if you download digitally? It's all the same and it's much more convenient.

“So that's where the world is going in our opinion and I think Sony understands that. We certainly understand that. It doesn't mean that we won't have physical additions now and then, I'm sure we will in the same way that there’s still vinyl in the recorded music business. But in other instances, it just won't make sense."

Despite Sony reiterating that up to 85% of its game sales are currently digital, video game preservationists have turned against the Blue Team's controversial decision.

There was a notable backlash when Ubisoft's Philippe Tremblay told players they need to get 'comfortable' with not owning their games in 2024, but that's nothing compared to the controversy Sony has faced in 2026.

While many claim it's a cost-cutting measure from Sony, Sony Interactive Entertainment veteran Gordon Thornton says digital games aren't necessarily cheaper than disc versions, also stating that a digital landscape is simply the way things have evolved.

After an extended period of social media quiet, Sony finally broke its silence and explained where it stands in an investor-focused Q&A with Sony CFO Lin Tao. Here, Tao said: "We are not seeing any impact on our business as of now. Going forward, about the content sales, large part is already digitized. Therefore as a result of the discontinuation of a disc, we don’t see that there will be any negative impact on our business.

“However, as I already said, the users, the players, have attachments, and we have to think about how to respond to those feedbacks."

Elsewhere, Tao acknowledged the 'strong views' from the community but admitted the company won't be changing its mind.

As for Zelnick, many called out him out, especially for the vinyl comparison.

Replying to a post sharing his comment, one person branded him a 'moron' and wrote: "And they still release vinyls."

Another complained: "Does he mean these vinyl records? The kind which gets multiple variant releases because it’s so in demand that singers go No.1 because of them? And the kind Sony promotes to this day?🤣 This clown is truly clueless."

A third concluded: "Someone forgot to tell him vinyls came back and are selling nicely... just ask Target…even gaming vinyls are booming..... these bosses/ceo are a joke."

It seems the disc drama isn't going to blow over anytime soon.