GTA co-creator urges studios to listen if gamers want disc releases: “I love physical media”

The British video game producer, director, and co-founder of Rockstar Games and the Grand Theft Auto series recently spoke in an interview about the decline of physical media and the shift to digital. He said that if gamers demand physical game releases from studios and companies, those businesses should listen and respond to that feedback.

Still, the co-creator of Rockstar Games and GTA says he doesn’t have a strong personal preference for either format but loves keeping physical media around. Speaking candidly at San Diego Comic-Con 2026, he commented on the current state of physical vs. digital while discussing projects at his current company, Absurd Ventures.

In a conversation with IGN, Houser put things plainly: “I don’t know that I care, but if people want that, I think companies should provide it. But I don’t know that I personally care. And I also think that, 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 still added a simple expression of affection for the older physical format, saying, “I love physical media.”

A longtime collaborator and former Rockstar radio personality who now works with Dan Houser at Absurd Ventures also shared his perspective, offering a neutral take on the physical vs. digital debate. He stated:

“We all have that sort of feeling when you get that copy, and you put the disc in the console, but I also have to say I really like being at the airport and going, ‘Oh cool, I can download some quick games to my Steam Deck for this 12-hour flight.’ That’s what’s been interesting. We’ve worked in digital together for many years, and then making a physical comic book is a different creative process but also really fulfilling to have a physical thing you can say, ‘Look, we made a thing.’”

Dan Houser’s comments come at a time when the industry is slowly but steadily shifting from an era of physical video game releases to one dominated by digital downloads. Rockstar Games’ highly anticipated GTA VI is, unfortunately, expected to be sold as a physical package containing only a download code inside the box this November 19, 2026.

While digital downloads, updates, and patches have improved the quality of gaming in many ways, DRM restrictions have become a nuisance for some players. At the same time, physical video game releases still hold great value for many creators and developers, including Hideo Kojima and Yoko Taro.