Rockstar Co-Founder Dan Houser Says Companies Should Provide Game Discs

Rockstar Co-Founder Says "Companies Should Provide" Games On Disc, As GTA 6 Launches With Code In Box Published Jul 25, 2026, 9:03 AM EDT James Lucas is an Executive Editor at TheGamer who has worked in professional journalism since 2018. A Newcastle University graduate with a degree in Journalism, Media, and Culture, they have written hundreds of guides, news stories, and original reports, with bylines in IGN, NME, GaymingMag, and VG247, sourcing interviews with studio heads, legendary industry figures, prominent actors, and more. An expert on FPS games, Soulslikes, RPGs, and survival horror, James has intimate knowledge of a wide variety of titles, providing in-depth coverage and exclusive profiles. Some of the games they have extensively covered include: Half-Life 3, Counter-Strike, Elden Ring, and Fallout. They pride themselves on their consistently thorough research, leveraging nearly a decade of industry experience. You can reach them at James.t@thegamer.com Sign in to your TheGamer account The last month has seen a huge blow dealt to physical games, as Rockstar confirmed that GTA 6 would not launch with a disc, but a redeemable code, while Sony announced that it would cease game disc production altogether in 2028. Amid fierce, ongoing backlash, Rockstar co-founder Dan House — who left the company in early 2020 — was asked for his opinion on the debate. While he isn’t personally invested or even enthusiastic about discs, he suggested that publishers should continue to sell them if there’s a demand. “I don’t know that I care, but if people want that, I think companies should provide it,” Houser told IGN. “But I don’t know that I personally care.” In the same interview, he talked about the perks to digital gaming and the benefits that it affords to both developers and players alike. “I also think that the ability to update games — as critical as people are of digital releases — the ability to update and fix problems in games has been really useful for the quality of games,” he explained. Though, of course, that isn’t a digital exclusive perk. Physical copies can still access updates and patches. Is Digital Really Inevitable? Several developers and publishers have argued that digital is inevitable as interest in physical dies out, pointing to PC as an example. However, 37 million physical copies were sold in the US alone by June 2026. That’s a steep drop from the 292 million units sold in the same 12-month period in 2009, but it's still a significant amount. Equal to the entire population of Morocco. PC is also an open ecosystem with various storefronts, whereas PlayStation is a closed ecosystem, with just one. That’s not to mention the lucrative second-hand market, which is valued at $7.2 billion (including consoles, accessories, and peripherals). Physical discs are still a valued part of gaming, especially among collectors. And in some parts of the world, a necessity, as poor internet connection or a lack of official PSN support makes digital gaming completely inaccessible. So, there’s definitely a demand for discs. And, as Houser says, if people want discs to continue being produced, “companies should provide it.” Systems Released November 19, 2026 ESRB Rating Pending - Likely Mature 17+ Developer(s) Rockstar Games Publisher(s) Rockstar Games Engine Rockstar Advanced Game Engine (RAGE) Genre(s) Action, Adventure