Sony: We’ll always need physical media

PlayStation brand boss Kaz Hirai has given us a grounded look at the digital distribution scene, claiming that it’s extremist to believe that we’ll have an all-digital industry even within ten years. The polygonal executive has also stated that, whatever happens, the PlayStation 4 will need some form of physical media support.

“We do business in parts of the world where network infrastructure isn’t as robust as one would hope,” states Hirai. “There’s always going to be requirement for a business of our size and scope to have a physical medium.

“To think everything will be downloaded in two years, three years or even ten years from now is taking it a little bit to the extreme.”

It speaks of the naivety and almost childish lack of restraint that many game executives have that they believe digital distribution will happen overnight. The same thing happens with 3D gaming. A new idea comes along and these industry folk expect it to suddenly change everything and be the “future” of gaming. It may well be the future, but that doesn’t mean it’ll happen next week. 

Hirai: PS4 not download-only [MCV]