Hideki Kamiya Unfazed by Physical vs. Digital Debate, Prioritizes Game Preservation for Future Players

Hideki Kamiya, the creative mind behind Bayonetta and director of Resident Evil 2, has shared his thoughts on the ongoing physical vs. digital games debate, revealing that his main concern is ensuring games remain accessible to future generations, regardless of format.

Kamiya, a legendary figure in the industry with credits including Devil May Cry, Okami, and Resident Evil 2, was asked about PlayStation's recent announcement to phase out physical game discs by January 2028. In his typical straightforward style, he admitted he's already fully embraced digital purchases.

"I don't buy a single physical game these days – every single game I buy is 100% digital, so I look at that decision and think, 'Yeah, I guess this is where things were heading,'" Kamiya told Video Games Chronicle in an interview published on September 2.

He further explained that the physical vs. digital debate isn't his primary concern. Instead, he hopes publishers will take responsibility for preserving their games for future players, whether that's through physical media, digital distribution, or other means.

"That's the big thing for me, is whether or not the IP holders are going to take responsibility for ensuring that all of these games will continue to be available to future generations in order for them to be played. Whether that's physically or digitally is less important to me, just so long as these games will be available to people in the future," he said.

Kamiya highlighted the growing issue of older classic games becoming unplayable on modern hardware, urging IP holders to recognize the cultural importance of gaming. "I hope that the IP holders will recognize that and continue to make those games available to future people not just from a gameplay perspective, but also from a game culture perspective, and to continue to foster and grow that culture of gaming. So to me, it's less important whether the games are made available physically or digitally, but that they're made available at all."

His comments reflect a broader industry trend over the past decade, where publishers have increasingly re-released or remastered older titles for modern platforms. This not only generates revenue but also allows new generations to experience classic games, and longtime fans to revisit them without needing outdated hardware.

Fan-driven initiatives like the Stop Killing Games movement and the Video Game History Foundation also aim to protect games for posterity and consumer rights. Stop Killing Games, which recently joined a Dutch consumer group in a lawsuit against PlayStation, seeks legal frameworks to require publishers to maintain servers for live-service games after official support ends. Meanwhile, the Video Game History Foundation collects games to "preserve, celebrate, and teach" the public about video game history.

Despite these efforts, many players remain opposed to PlayStation's all-digital future. Lawmakers in Mexico have even introduced an anti-trust lawsuit against the company, accusing it of engaging in "anti-competitive practices" with its decision to end physical disc production.