Creator of Disgaea criticizes the end of physical games by Sony

Erasing the emotional memory and belonging of the players in the name of increasingly colder profit margins is a regrettable reflection of corporate greed. The father of the franchise Disgaea, Sohei Niikawa, spoke out against PlayStation's intentions to auction off the distribution of physical media in the future. In a direct conversation with the portal Noisy Pixel during the Anime Expo 2026, the Japanese developer noted that if the manufacturer intends to eliminate discs altogether, it doesn’t make sense to continue selling dedicated devices: "A television would be enough. What is the point of the console? If they're going to get rid of physical games, they might as well go all the way."

Currently leading SuperNiche after leaving Nippon Ichi Software, the producer attended the American event to promote his next project, the game Demons' Night Fever, which will feature Arc System Works in distribution.

The direct connection between the community and creators loses its strength when tangible support is replaced by temporary digital licenses.

Although acknowledging the financial appeal behind cutting the physical format, the veteran emphasized that executives of major publishers seem unable to understand the emotional value that the audience places on these items. Owning the game boxes goes beyond collecting; it acts as a tangible link of support and a historical record that fans proudly bring to conventions in search of autographs from the creative minds behind those works.

Reducing video games to mere cloud files dehumanizes the relationship between the public and the creative teams. When a company ignores this cultural bond to push consumers into a closed ecosystem, it becomes clear that the focus is purely on market control, not on preserving interactive art.