The debate that sparked a candid response
The conversation around physical media has been building for months. Grand Theft Auto 6 launching without a disc, combined with Sony's announcement that PlayStation will stop producing discs entirely by 2028, has pushed the format debate to the front of gaming discourse. Into that conversation stepped Dan Houser, co-founder of Rockstar Games, with a refreshingly honest take that doesn't quite land on either side of the fence.
"I don't know that I personally care"
Houser's position is worth quoting directly because it captures the nuance most industry figures avoid. "I don't know that I care, but if people want that, I think companies should provide it," he said. "But I don't know that I personally care."
Here's the thing: that's not indifference dressed up as diplomacy. Houser followed it up with a genuine admission about why digital works for him, pointing specifically to the ability to patch and update games post-launch. "I also think that, as critical as people are of digital releases, the ability to update and fix problems in games has been really useful for the quality of games."
That's a developer speaking from experience. Anyone who remembers the era of shipping a broken game on disc and leaving players stuck with it can appreciate the argument.
But Houser also made sure to say this: "I love physical media." So the full picture is someone who appreciates the format emotionally, prefers digital practically, and thinks the choice should ultimately belong to consumers.
Jeffery Jones adds the nostalgia angle
Former Rockstar Games writer Jeffery "Lazlow" Jones brought a different texture to the conversation. His take leaned into the tactile experience that physical releases offer, the ritual of getting a copy, sliding the disc in, and feeling like you own something real.
"We all have that sort of feeling when you get that copy, and you put the disc in the console," he said. But Jones was equally honest about digital's pull, describing the appeal of downloading games to a Steam Deck at an airport before a long flight as something genuinely hard to argue against.
Jones also touched on a separate creative project, noting how producing a physical comic book felt meaningfully different from digital work. "Making a physical product of a comic book is a different creative process but also just really fulfilling to have a physical thing you can say, 'Look. We made a thing.'" It's a sentiment that applies directly to games, even if he didn't say so explicitly.
Where the industry actually stands
Houser and Jones aren't alone in sitting somewhere in the middle. The Sony disc announcement drew real pushback from retailers and consumer groups, particularly in the UK, where entertainment retail associations publicly condemned the decision. On the other side, Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot came out in support of going fully digital, arguing it would drive growth rather than hurt consumers.
The split reflects something genuine: physical media still matters to a significant portion of the player base, even as the industry's infrastructure quietly shifts away from it. Pre-order tracking for GTA 6 suggests digital sales in the US and top European markets have already cleared an estimated $180 million, with broader global figures pushing closer to $260 million. No official numbers have been released, but the trajectory points toward a digital-first launch for one of the biggest games ever made.
What most players miss in this debate is that it isn't really about discs versus downloads. The key here is ownership, preservation, and what happens to your library when servers go offline or storefronts shut down. Those are the questions physical advocates are actually asking, and they're worth taking seriously regardless of how convenient airport downloads are.
GTA 6 is shaping up to be the release that forces everyone, developers, publishers, and players alike, to decide where they actually stand. For more on what to expect when it drops, the GTA 6 multiplayer launch guide breaks down exactly what's confirmed for day one and beyond.
