Hideo Kojima, head of Kojima Productions and a still-active game director, has spoken out regarding the recent controversy surrounding Sony's decision to discontinue physical PlayStation discs.

At the 'Il Cinema in Piazza' film event in Rome, Italy, when asked for his thoughts on the end of physical disc production, Kojima replied, "I grew up as a 'physical person,' so it makes me truly sad." He added, "I still consistently buy Blu-rays and CDs to ensure they don't disappear."

He expressed particular concern over the shifting landscape of content consumption. Even single-player games today often require network connections or additional downloads for day-one patches, optimizations, content updates, and DLC. Nevertheless, owning a physical disc still guarantees that one can at least play the base version of a game.

However, the situation changes once physical media disappears. Because the current model relies on downloading content via servers operated by platform providers like Steam or Sony rather than direct ownership, one cannot rule out the possibility of losing access to desired films or games due to political shifts, national policies, or changes in corporate service terms. Citing recent events, Kojima expressed fear at the prospect of being unable to access the movies or games one wishes to enjoy.

In light of this, a post he made on X (formerly Twitter) about five years ago has resurfaced. In his August 5, 2021, post, he wrote: "Soon, even digital data will no longer be something individuals can own at their own discretion. If significant changes or incidents occur in the world—be it with nations, governments, ideologies, or public opinion—access to such data could be suddenly blocked. It will become impossible to freely access the many films, books, and music we have loved. We will become those who have nothing. That is what I fear. This is not about material greed." The post is receiving renewed attention for how closely it mirrors the current situation.

Concerns continue to mount both within and outside the industry regarding Sony's move to halt physical disc production. All eyes are on what direction Sony will take in the future.