Hideki Kamiya has called on publishers to take responsibility for game preservation as PlayStation prepares to end physical disc production in 2028 and the industry shifts towards digital-only releases
As PlayStation prepares to halt all physical game disc production from January 2028, the debate over digital versus physical ownership has reached a new intensity. Yet for Hideki Kamiya, the creative force behind Bayonetta, Devil May Cry and Resident Evil 2, the real crisis is not about the format but about whether games will remain accessible at all.
Preservation over format
Kamiya, speaking in a recent interview, made it clear that he no longer purchases physical games and has fully embraced digital libraries. However, he dismissed the format argument as a distraction from the core issue: the risk that entire generations of games could vanish if publishers fail to maintain access. He argued that the responsibility lies with intellectual property holders to ensure their titles remain available, regardless of whether they are distributed on disc or as downloads.
His comments come as Sony's decision to end physical disc production for new PlayStation releases in 2028 has triggered legal and consumer backlash. Lawmakers in Mexico have filed an anti-trust lawsuit against PlayStation, accusing the company of anti-competitive practices. Meanwhile, player-led campaigns and preservation groups are demanding that publishers commit to long-term access, not just short-term sales.
Industry response and legal action
Efforts to preserve games are not limited to individual voices. The Stop Killing Games movement has joined a Dutch consumer group in a €457 million lawsuit against Sony, seeking to force publishers to keep live-service game servers online after official support ends. The Video Game History Foundation continues to archive and document classic titles, aiming to prevent the loss of gaming's cultural heritage.
Publishers have responded in part by re-releasing older games for modern hardware, sometimes as full remakes. This approach allows new players to experience classic titles without outdated hardware, but it also raises questions about selective preservation and the commercial motives behind which games are chosen for revival. As reported earlier, some games maintain their relevance through careful re-releases, but many others remain inaccessible.
What is at risk
The consequences of neglecting preservation are already visible. Numerous classic games are now unplayable on current platforms, either due to hardware incompatibility or because digital storefronts have delisted them. For players, this means that even legally purchased titles can disappear without warning, especially when server-based authentication or online requirements are involved.
While some publishers have begun to address these gaps, the pace is inconsistent and often driven by commercial opportunity rather than a commitment to cultural continuity. The lack of a unified industry standard for preservation leaves the future of many games uncertain, particularly as digital-only releases become the norm.
Kamiya's stance and the path forward
Kamiya's position is unambiguous: the debate over discs versus downloads is a sideshow compared to the existential threat of games being lost entirely. He calls for publishers to take real responsibility for their catalogues, ensuring that both current and future players can access the full breadth of gaming history. The industry's current trajectory, with its focus on short-term sales and selective remasters, risks erasing vast swathes of creative work unless preservation becomes a genuine priority.
Game preservation is not simply about nostalgia or collector's editions. It is about maintaining access to the medium's history, culture and creative evolution. Without concrete action from publishers and platform holders, the shift to digital risks making games more fragile and less accessible than ever before. The industry's willingness to address this challenge will define whether gaming's past remains playable or is consigned to memory alone.
Game preservation refers to the ongoing effort to keep video games accessible and playable as technology, platforms and distribution methods evolve. Unlike films or books, games often depend on specific hardware, operating systems or online services that can become obsolete or be discontinued. When a game is delisted from a digital store or its servers are shut down, players may lose access permanently-even if they previously purchased the title. Effective preservation requires not only archiving game files but also ensuring that future hardware and software can run them, and that legal frameworks allow for continued distribution. As the industry moves towards digital-only releases, the risk of permanent loss increases unless publishers and platform holders commit to long-term solutions.
