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1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsTake-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick argues that digital distribution can be more convenient for some very large games, including in a discussion tied to Grand Theft Auto VI. His comments are not a Sony statement, and they do not mean physical games have no value. They frame a wider debate about what players gain—and give up—when a game comes as a download or a disc.
Who said discs may not make sense?
The headline’s “dev” is not a developer describing production experience. The reported speaker is Strauss Zelnick, CEO of Take-Two Interactive, the company that owns Rockstar Games. Push Square and Video Games Chronicle report that Zelnick made the remarks during an investor Q&A. The reports, rather than an original transcript, are the available source for his comments. Push Square and Video Games Chronicle connect the discussion to GTA 6.
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Zelnick’s argument has two parts. He says Take-Two’s business is already heavily digitally distributed, and suggests that a disc offers less practical benefit for some especially large games if the player must connect online to register or play anyway. He said: “So in certain instances, especially if it’s a big game, discs just – and note I said discs – don’t really make sense for the consumer.” He also argued that, when a player is already connected, downloading is “much more convenient.”
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Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEFix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →What does “well over 90% digital” actually mean?
Zelnick’s reported figure—well over 90% digitally distributed—refers to Take-Two Interactive’s business, as reported in 2026. It is not a statistic about Sony, all PlayStation players, or the games industry as a whole. Nor does it establish that digital is cheaper or preferred by every customer.
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- This product contains a download code inside the box — no disc is included. Customer shipments will begin arriving November 12 for pre-load; game is playable starting November 19.
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- Grand Theft Auto VI is a single-player experience.
Push Square also discusses a 98% digital-revenue figure that includes microtransactions and downloadable content. That is not a like-for-like measure of physical versus digital game sales: virtual currency, for example, has no equivalent boxed purchase. It should not be read as evidence that 98% of full games are sold digitally.
Why is GTA 6 part of the disc debate?
The reports tie Zelnick’s remarks to GTA 6 and describe the game as digitally distributed, with a possible boxed version containing a download code rather than a disc. Those format details are reported by Push Square and Video Games Chronicle; the underlying publisher announcement was not available in the cited reporting.
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- Grand Theft Auto III: It all starts in Liberty City
- Grand Theft Auto: Vice City: Welcome to the 1980s
- Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas: Five years ago, Carl 'CJ' Johnson escaped the haze of Los Santos, San Andreas...a city tearing itself apart with gang trouble, drugs, and corruption.
A box with a code is not interchangeable with a game disc. Push Square reports that once the code is redeemed, it cannot be traded or resold. A disc, by contrast, can be lent, collected, or resold, subject to the usual practical limits of the format. If considering a boxed copy, check the product description carefully: “physical” packaging does not by itself establish that a disc is inside.
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What has Sony reportedly said about disc production?
Video Games Chronicle reports that Sony plans to stop producing PlayStation game discs for titles launching after January 2028. Push Square separately reports that Sony has said it will move forward cautiously. These are reports of a planned change, not evidence that disc production has already ended. The available coverage does not establish the details of a primary Sony announcement, so the timeline should be treated as reported policy context rather than a completed change.
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What players gain and lose with each format
Zelnick’s convenience argument is one consumer perspective, not a universal verdict. The trade-offs depend on how a game is delivered and what a player values.
- Access and swapping: A digital download avoids handling a disc and can be convenient when switching games. Physical media gives the player a tangible copy to keep on hand.
- Downloads and online requirements: Zelnick’s point is strongest where a large game already requires an internet connection for registration or play. The reports do not establish that every game or every physical edition has the same requirements.
- Lending, resale, and transfer: A disc can be passed to another person or resold. A redeemed download code, as described in the GTA 6 coverage, cannot be traded or resold.
- Collecting: A box or disc may matter to players who want a physical collection. Former PlayStation executive Shuhei Yoshida has described himself as a digital consumer while acknowledging that collectors may value physical games, according to Push Square.
- Ownership expectations: Former PlayStation executive Shawn Layden has argued that removing the ability to sell a game can make consumers feel they do not truly own it. That is his view of the financial and reputational stakes, not a statement of Sony’s internal reasoning, as reported by Video Games Chronicle.
What Zelnick’s comments do—and do not—show
The comments make a case for digital convenience in some circumstances, particularly when a game is large and already depends on online access. They do not prove that discs are redundant for every game or player, that Sony has adopted Zelnick’s reasoning, or that every boxed GTA 6 edition will contain only a code. The practical choice remains format-specific: check the edition, its contents, and any stated online or download requirements before buying.
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