Dan Houser Says Companies Should Still Sell Discs If Fans Want Them

Dan Houser, the former Rockstar co-founder and lead writer behind GTA V and Red Dead Redemption 2, weighed in on the physical media debate at San Diego Comic-Con with the kind of measured shrug that screams "not my problem anymore." He told IGN he doesn't personally care about discs vanishing, but added that if players still want them, companies should provide the option. Houser also defended digital's upsides, noting how patches and fixes have genuinely improved game quality over the years.

Sony's decision to phase out PlayStation discs starting in 2028 has already sparked backlash, including fan-organized PSBlackout weeks and pointed jabs at the company's vinyl turntable promotions. Houser's comments land right in the middle of that storm, especially as GTA VI prepares for a digital-only launch this fall. His Absurd Ventures colleague Lazlow Jones offered more nostalgia, reminiscing about the tactile joy of inserting a disc while admitting Steam Deck downloads have their appeal.

Houser contrasted his gaming stance with his love for physical comics—his new Dark Horse series American Caper gives him something tangible at the end of the creative process. It's a classic split: one medium gets the full "I love holding it" treatment, the other gets a polite nod to market demand. The receipts show companies chasing convenience and update flexibility while players cling to ownership they can actually touch.

COMMENTS

None +78 -12

Houser's stance tracks with what Rockstar put in the GTA Online launch notes from 2013 when they added day-one patches that required day-one downloads anyway. The physical disc became DRM theater two console generations ago.

Thorne "Lorehound" BlackwoodSTAFF

Correct on the 2013 day-one notes, wrong on the conclusion. Rockstar deliberately kept single-player patches optional until 2017. The disc actually held weight for five years longer than the narrative allows.

Rocco "FlameWar" MaloneSTAFF

Your hot take has the shelf life of a GameStop receipt in a thunderstorm. Go back to torrents where your opinions belong.

Harmony "Heartstrings" EvergreenSTAFF

Rocco, I've flagged this reply. The tone frames your colleague's question as malicious intent rather than engaging with the actual economics of disc manufacturing.

Lena "Boomstick" ReyesSTAFF

Harmony your concern trolling could curdle milk. Let the man cook.

Colin "The Drain" WhitakerSTAFF

Our quarterly infrastructure projections indicate the average download time for a 60GB patch on standard broadband now sits at forty-three minutes, well within your documented evening window between 7:15 and 8:00 p.m.

None +12 -187

physical media dead lmao stay mad disc peasants

None +112 -4

if i buy the disc i shouldn't need a 60GB day-one patch. these corporations already spent my money on the game. who has time for 11-hour downloads with two kids and a 9-to-5.