GTA 6’s Physical Disc Does Not Make Sense According to Take-Two CEO

In the last few months, the most discussed topic in the gaming industry has probably been about Physical Discs. This started when GTA 6 announced that the physical version will only contain a code in the box. It then escalated quickly when Sony announced stopping physical disc production entirely in 2028. And since then, the debate continues: are physical discs still important, or is going full digital a good thing?

Well, according to Take-Two Interactive CEO Strauss Zelnick, there is a simple reason for GTA 6 being full digital. Physical discs do not make sense anymore when it comes to huge games like this. Your disc mostly serves just as a way to download the game, and you need an internet connection for it.

“Discs Just Don’t Really Make Sense”

Speaking during a Q&A with analysts following Take-Two’s Q1 2027 financial results, Zelnick was asked about the company’s approach to physical media because of Sony’s plans to stop producing physical discs for PlayStation games from 2028. Zelnick did not want to comment specifically on Sony’s decision, and we can understand why, but he did explain why Take-Two sees traditional game discs as unnecessary when it comes to games like GTA 6.

“Our business is well over 90% digitally distributed. It’s already a digital business. 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. Also, most instances you have to register online to play anyhow. So if you’re already connected, who cares if you download digitally? It’s all the same and it’s much more convenient.”

We could argue about “is he right or wrong,” but the reality is that yes, many modern games already require players to connect to the internet and register their copies before they can be played. The games are often not directly on the disc anymore. This is not for every game, of course, but it does happen more and more, especially when a game would require more than one disc to be complete. From Take-Two’s perspective, if players already need an internet connection to access or register a game, downloading it digitally is ultimately more convenient than using a physical disc that may not contain the complete game anyway.

In a way, from a business perspective, it is a logical thought process.

Physical Games Are Not Going Away Completely

That does not mean Take-Two is against physical media, or even that they expect physical editions to disappear entirely. Zelnick specifically clarified that the company will continue producing physical editions in certain cases, comparing their future to the continued existence of vinyl records despite the dominance of digital music.

“It doesn’t mean that we won’t have physical additions now and then, I’m sure we will in the same way that there’s still vinyl in the recorded music business. But in other instances, it just won’t make sense”

So basically, he does not seem to think that physical editions will disappear, even in a world where most things are digital. Does it mean that he knows something more about it? Probably not. It is most likely just a logical guess. The company says more than 90% of its business is already digitally distributed, making physical media the minority and not the standard it once was. But players are attached to physical things for a good reason. You own it, and it is never disappearing unless you personally sell it away. That is what makes it so important. For collectors, that makes digital editions less appealing. For publishers, however, eliminating the need to manufacture and distribute discs can make the process considerably simpler. And according to Zelnick, the traditional game disc may eventually become something closer to vinyl. Still around for people who want it, but no longer necessary for most players.

The only question that remains is: will companies come up with physical alternatives to discs in the future? Such as game key cards or SSD cartridges that you would insert in your console instead of a disc. We will have to wait and see.

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