Ever since Sony announced it was ending production of PlayStation discs, all but guaranteeing the PS6 would be a digital-only console, there has been backlash on the internet. From social media posts supporting smaller indie studios to Marvel’s Wolverine‘s new trailer, every PlayStation announcement and post is lambasted by fans upset over its January 2028 plan to end disc production.
Unfortunately, it doesn’t really seem to be moving the needle much. PlayStation did clarify that games releasing before that date, with a disc, would still be supported by the company, but at least one factory responsible for disc production has also been repurposed since the initial announcement. One of the biggest problems is how the backlash appears to be limited to the internet, with no major figures making announcements about how disc production ending affects them, if at all. But the CEO of Serenity Forge—the publisher of Doki Doki Literature Club Plus! and on mobile devices—is not one of those staying quiet.
DDLC Publisher CEO Says Discs Aren’t Just Another Revenue Stream
Unlike other gaming publishers from GTA 6‘s Take-Two Interactive to Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced‘s Ubisoft, all of which have notably given no comment on the matter, Serenity Forge CEO Zhenghua Yang was happy to speak about the issue during an interview with Game File. Somehow, disc copies of Doki Doki Literature Club became a poster child for those who do not want disc production to cease, leading to the interview, where Game File’s Stephen Totilo described Yang as diplomatic but happy to talk. In short, Yang said,
“For us, physical publishing has actually never just been another sales channel. It’s actually an important part of our mission to bring meaningful games to as many people as possible globally. Physical games help us reach audiences that digital often can’t.”
Guess the games from the emojis.
Guess the games from the emojis.
Easy (120s)Medium (90s)Hard (60s)
For those unaware, DDLC was initially developed and published by indie developer Team Salvato. While it would go on to be one of the best psychological horror games to date, Team Salvato would need assistance in getting Doki Doki Literature Club into more hands. It was originally a digital-only release when it first dropped in 2017. Serenity Forge later came onboard, publishing the expanded Doki Doki Literature Club Plus version with a special edition and physical release across multiple consoles.
In other words, while it’s understandable to question the authenticity of the claim that physical publishing isn’t just a means to a financial end, there’s backing to it via Doki Doki Literature Club‘s publishing history. The CEO would also discuss how physical games lead to more audiences, even if it’s not as much as digital is often argued to be. For example, former PlayStation exec Shawn Layden suggested it’s a matter of the cost of producing discs outweighing the profits thereof, or at least being too slim in terms of profits. But if it’s just slimmer than digital, that’s still a sale that otherwise may have been missed.
Scratch & Peek
Identify the cover art while scratching off as little foil as
possible.
In this future digital-only era of PlayStation, it’s hard to say what the long-term impact of this will be. Yes, physical accounts for less, but less is still more than zero. Many gamers have discovered their new favorite games on store shelves and conventions, and it may not be as often as it used to be, but that’s going to end. On the other hand, digital libraries make smaller games harder to discover—something every indie game on Steam is familiar with. It’s uncertain how all of this shakes out, but Serenity Forge is right in that digital cannot account for everything.
- Released
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June 30, 2021
- ESRB
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M For Mature 17+ Due To Blood, Strong Language, Suggestive Themes, Violence
- Developer(s)
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Team Salvato
- Publisher(s)
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Team Salvato