Rockstar co-founder: if gamers want physical discs, companies should provide them

Rockstar Games co-founder Dan Houser has publicly backed the right to buy physical games — even as GTA 6 ships without a disc release. Speaking at San Diego Comic-Con 2026, Houser said companies have an obligation to meet demand for physical formats, while also arguing that digital distribution has quietly improved game quality overall. With Sony set to halt new disc production for PlayStation by January 2028, the timing of his remarks lands in the middle of an active industry fight over ownership.

The claim

Houser was at SDCC to promote American Caper, a print comic series he's developing at Absurd Ventures alongside Lazlow Jones — the voice behind several GTA radio stations. The conversation turned to physical media, and Houser drew a clear line between personal preference and consumer rights.

"I can't say it matters that much to me personally," he said, per GameRant's SDCC interview. "But if people want that, companies should provide it. For me, I don't mind either way. The ability to update games and fix problems — whatever people say about digital releases — has noticeably improved their quality."

Jones went further. He said the tactile experience of owning a disc gives him something digital purchases simply don't, even though he concedes the convenience gap is real. That sentiment drove the decision to publish American Caper as a physical print run rather than a digital release — the team wanted something you could hold.

"We've spent years working together on digital projects," Jones said. "Making a physical comic is a completely different creative process. But it also matters that you end up with a real thing you can hold and say: 'Look, we made this.'"

The tension

Houser's position sits awkwardly alongside Rockstar's own strategy. GTA 6 launched without a disc edition — a code-in-box approach that drew immediate backlash from collectors and preservation advocates. A YouGov poll from July 2026 found 51% of console gamers still prefer physical media, with 81% citing permanent ownership as the main reason.

Houser left Rockstar in 2018 and has no control over GTA 6's release format. But his SDCC comments add credibility to consumer frustration at a moment when both Sony's disc exit and GTA 6's digital-only bet are reshaping what game ownership actually means.

American Caper Vol. 1 is available now via Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and the Absurd Ventures store.