Nippon Ichi Software discusses end of physical PlayStation discs with Sony in 2028

According to Kotaku, Saruhashi is hoping for a compromise, but no agreement, exception, or change to Sony’s plan has been confirmed.

For Nippon Ichi Software and NIS America, physical limited editions are an important part of the business, since those releases often include bonus items alongside the game disc.

What happened

Kotaku says Saruhashi responded in an interview to Sony’s plan to stop producing physical discs for new games on PlayStation consoles starting in January 2028. According to the report, Nippon Ichi Software is discussing the matter with Sony because the company relies heavily on physical releases. The publication ties those talks directly to how Nippon Ichi Software packages its releases, especially for games that come out in limited quantities.

The report quotes Saruhashi as being optimistic about a possible solution, but it does not mention any concrete commitment from Sony. Based on the available information, only the talks themselves are confirmed; there is no final outcome yet. There is also no confirmation that Sony has changed, delayed, or made exceptions to its previously reported timeline for specific publishers.

The issue affects Nippon Ichi Software directly because the company and its NIS America label are known for physical limited editions with extras such as artbooks, acrylic stands, and other bonus items. Kotaku describes those releases as a regular part of the company’s launch strategy. The available context also notes that Nippon Ichi Software recently announced a new PC games service, where physical bonus items have so far been tied to physical releases.

Kotaku also mentions that Nippon Ichi Software briefly used game key cards on Switch 2, and that the move was poorly received by the public. That detail is used in the report as another example of how sensitive distribution formats are for the company, though no figures or methodology are provided to measure the reaction precisely.

Background

According to the available context, Sony announced that production of physical discs for new PlayStation games will end starting in January 2028. That is the date repeated in the reporting, and there is no confirmation that Sony has changed that plan. The external context provided for this story points to an official PlayStation blog post from July 1, 2026, which explicitly mentions that date. Other reporting in the context, including IGN, also repeats that Sony wants to end physical disc production for new PlayStation games in January 2028.

Nippon Ichi Software is a Japanese publisher that releases physical limited editions through NIS America. The sources do not give an exact revenue figure, but they do say this segment is important to the company’s business. The provided context also refers to an announcement of a PC games service, noting that limited physical extras such as artbooks and acrylic stands have so far been tied to physical releases. That helps explain why a move away from discs could have a bigger impact on this company than on publishers that rely less on physical bundles.

Kenzo Saruhashi is identified in the provided facts as CEO of Nippon Ichi Software and president of NIS America. The fact report also says he has been at the helm of Nippon Ichi for one year, as mentioned in the article. Kotaku uses his position to frame the talks with Sony: this is not just a general market trend, but a publisher whose physical release strategy is directly affected by Sony’s planned 2028 policy.

The available sources confirm that talks are happening, but not what kind of compromise may be on the table. It is also unclear whether Sony is considering an exception, delay, or alternative distribution model for publishers like Nippon Ichi Software. The open question remains whether the 2028 plan will stay unchanged or whether a practical solution will be found for specific partners.