Game preservation is more important than disc vs digital, says DMC creator Hideki Kamiya, “Every single game I buy is 100% digital”

The debate over physical and digital games has become more heated as the industry continues to move toward digital purchases. Physical discs give players something they can cherish or resell, while digital games are often more convenient and easier to access. However, Devil May Cry and Okami creator Hideki Kamiya believes there is a bigger issue worth discussing: game preservation.

Kamiya recently shared his thoughts on the future of physical game discs while speaking with VGC alongside (game studio) Clovers’ co-founder Kento Koyama. The discussion comes as the gaming industry continues to move away from physical media, including reports about the future of discs on PlayStation.

Future generations should be able to keep playing older games

Interestingly, Kamiya says the shift toward digital games does not really affect his own buying habits with modern titles. “I don’t buy a single physical game these days – every single game I buy is 100% digital,” he says, but that doesn’t mean the industry has to suddenly forget about game preservation. It also doesn’t mean he thinks physical games have no value.

As someone who collects retro games, Kamiya’s main concern is what happens to older titles when the original hardware and distribution platforms are no longer available. For him, the most important thing is making sure games remain playable for future generations. He believes publishers and IP owners should take responsibility for keeping older games accessible, regardless of whether they choose physical or digital releases.

Kamiya pointed out that many classic games are already difficult or impossible to play on modern hardware. This is where he sees the real problem with the industry’s transition to digital. His concern goes beyond simply being able to play an old game. He also wants future generations to have access to the history and culture surrounding games. Preserving these titles allows people to experience older works and understand how the medium developed over the years.

“That’s the big thing for me, is whether or not the IP holders are going to take responsibility for ensuring that all of these games will continue to be available to future generations in order for them to be played. Whether that’s physically or digitally is less important to me, just so long as these games will be available to people in the future.”

Hideki Kamiya, Studio Head and Chief Game Designer at Clovers Inc

He mentioned Hamster Corporation’s Arcade Archives series as a good example. Kamiya owns more than 200 arcade boards, but even he sometimes prefers playing those classic titles through Arcade Archives on modern hardware. It saves him from having to set up and maintain the original arcade machines.

While Kamiya is comfortable buying games digitally, Kento Koyama has a different relationship with physical games. The Clovers president said he has also been buying more digital games lately, but he still purchases physical copies when a game is particularly important to him. “Whenever I feel like there’s a really special game that I want to hold onto for the long haul, I always make sure to buy a physical copy of it,” says Koyama.

Koyama also has a dedicated game room filled with his old consoles and shelves of games. He explained that simply looking through his collection can bring back memories, something that is difficult to recreate with a digital library.

Hideki Kamiya shared a similar experience involving former Nintendo president Satoru Iwata. During an appearance on Iwata Asks, Kamiya brought several NES games that Iwata had worked on when he was a programmer. He asked Iwata to sign them, and he still displays those signed games today.