NIS America’s plan for physical PlayStation games after Sony’s reported 2028 disc cutoff

NIS America president Kenzo Saruhashi says the publisher intends to keep producing physical editions, including collector-focused releases, even as Sony plans to stop manufacturing discs for new PlayStation games starting in January 2028. NIS is discussing the change with Sony, but the eventual format—and whether Sony adjusts its plan—remains unclear. 1281

Why the disc cutoff matters to NIS America

NIS America and its parent company, Nippon Ichi Software, regularly release boxed games and limited editions. For a publisher whose business includes physical collector’s editions, losing the game disc could change what a PlayStation release contains, even if collectible extras and packaging remain. Saruhashi has said NIS wants to continue making physical editions and deliver the quality its customers expect; he has not announced a specific post-cutoff format. 81

Sony’s stated cutoff concerns disc production for new PlayStation games from January 2028. Reporting says new releases would still be sold through retail in digital formats, as well as through the PlayStation Store. 126

A code in the box is possible, not settled

Saruhashi acknowledged that putting a download code inside a physical package could be one possible outcome after the cutoff. He also said the discussion with Sony could change, so this should not be read as a confirmed NIS America policy or a settled industry-wide solution. 14

That distinction matters for collectors: a boxed edition could preserve some physical contents, but a code is not the same as a game disc. The available reporting does not specify what NIS’s future PlayStation collector’s editions would include, or how the publisher might handle access to the game itself. 18

The Game Key Card question is separate

The reporting does not show that NIS America is moving away from Nintendo Switch 2 Game Key Cards. In a separate interview, Saruhashi said NIS currently sees no sales difference between games offered on Game Key Cards and other physical formats. That comment is about sales performance; it does not establish the company’s broader view of the format or predict future release decisions. 2

What Saruhashi says Sony is hearing

Saruhashi believes Sony is hearing customer feedback through its discussions with publishers, and he has expressed hope that the conversation could change. That is his assessment—not confirmation that Sony has reversed or revised its announced plan. 14

The evidence also does not establish Saruhashi’s position on whether a large box containing only a download code would be wasteful. For now, the clearest takeaway is that NIS wants to preserve physical editions, while the contents and format of future PlayStation releases remain unresolved. 1