Key facts
- Activision considered stopping physical disc production in 2007 to avoid resale markets and disc fees.
- Publishers have pushed to eliminate physical discs for almost two decades to increase profits.
- Sony plans to cease disc production by 2028, facing consumer opposition.
- PlayStation founder Ken Kutaragi defended Sony's decision, calling it a "mentality issue."
Video game publishers have been attempting to eliminate physical disc production for nearly two decades, aiming to maximize profits and combat the resale market, according to Robert Bowling, a former Infinity Ward employee. Bowling stated that Activision, the publisher of Call of Duty, considered stopping disc production as far back as 2007 during the development of Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare. The move was intended to avoid resale conversations entirely and eliminate disc fees charged by console manufacturers like Xbox and PlayStation. Publishers also sought to negotiate revenue sharing with resellers like GameStop, but ultimately looked to cut discs to kill the resale market. Bowling expressed concern that this shift prioritized profit over the freedom and joy of collecting games, which he felt was counter to the culture of gamers and developers. He noted that consumer habits have since shifted, with more gamers buying digital titles over physical ones, which he believes is the primary reason Sony is now moving to cease disc production.