The creator of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 says he is saddened by the end of PlayStation disc production
, by Thibaut
Sony’s decision to stop producing physical game discs starting in January 2028 continues to spark reactions. While internet users criticize the company almost daily on social media, industry professionals remain more reserved.
In an interview with Automaton, executives from Sandfall Interactive, the French studio behind Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, were asked about this issue. Guillaume Broche, the company’s CEO and the game’s creative director, described PlayStation’s move as "sad."
"Personally, I find it super sad because I really like video game stores. And even if nowadays, I play mainly on PC myself, we have a lot of people on the team who play on PS5 and love to collect physical discs. I think it’s part of the beauty of art too – that it’s something tangible that you can touch. I completely appreciate that people want to have their rows of DVDs and games and just feel that they own them. So I think it’s a shame. I mean, business-wise, I can understand why it may make sense, but I think in terms of the artistry of video games, it’s a sad decision.
To add to that, there were two very strong moments when the game released. After launch, we went to a video game store to buy our own game (laughs). Just as a gesture. And another strong memory I have is when someone from Japan sent me a picture [of our game] from a video game store – in Akihabara I think – in Japanese writing and all. I felt like a kid when I saw it. I was like “Yeah, it’s real!” It starts feeling real when you see it in stores. "
Tom Guillermin, Sandfall’s technical director and co-founder, did, however, highlight the constraints of producing a physical release, but also reiterated his commitment to it.
"In our discussions with our publisher prior to the release of Expedition 33, the question of whether or not to do a physical release cropped up. A physical release adds more constraints because you have to account for the production time of the physical items, and you also earn less money per copy.
*But for us, physical was something special. We also felt that the game could be special to players, and that they would want to, as Guillaume said, hold it in their hands. *
So even though it made things harder and meant less money per unit, it was important for us to provide players who want to have the physical game in their hands with an option. Because that’s what we value as players too."
Source: automaton-media.com