Ubisoft boss Yves Guillemot doesn't believe PlayStation ditching physical discs will "disturb" the industry much - Eurogamer.net

What the report says

Eurogamer reports that Ubisoft chief executive Yves Guillemot addressed Sony’s reported move away from physical disc production during a recent Ubisoft financial call. Asked whether he was concerned about direct or indirect effects on the games business, Guillemot said he did not expect the change to significantly disrupt the industry, while acknowledging there were both benefits and drawbacks.

According to Eurogamer, Guillemot compared the situation with the PC market, where digital distribution has become dominant and, in his view, contributed to market growth. He also argued that removing disc drives could help reduce pressure on hardware costs and make consoles more accessible to consumers. The same Ubisoft call also included the company’s update that Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced had sold more than 3.5 million copies.

The report places Guillemot’s comments within a broader industry shift toward digital sales. Eurogamer notes that recent publisher financial data has shown digital purchases making up a large share of game sales, including Sony’s own reporting and Capcom’s disclosure that 93 percent of its sales were digital in the past year. PC gaming is described as already largely digital, helped by storefronts such as Steam, though physical console games still sell in large numbers.

The issue remains sensitive because discs are tied to ownership, resale, preservation, collector editions and access for players with limited internet or storage. Eurogamer also notes that other industry figures have reacted differently, including Hideo Kojima expressing sadness over Sony’s decision and Disgaea creator Sohei Niikawa taking a more critical view.