Silent Hill Developer Aims for Physical Game Releases

In an era where digital-only distribution is becoming the industry standard, the studio behind the Silent Hill 2 remake, Bloober Team, is bucking the trend. According to a recent interview with IGN, which covered the studio’s comments to GamesRadar, CEO Piotr Babieno has stated that the developer would like to produce physical versions of its games for “as long as possible.”

The emotional value of physical media

Babieno highlighted that his perspective on physical media stems from personal experience and a desire to maintain a connection with players. “Collecting games also [made] an emotional connection between the game and me, between the studio which produced the game and me,” Babieno told GamesRadar. He expressed concerns that without physical releases, studios would lose the opportunity to build that closeness with their fan base. While he acknowledged that digital distribution is “much easier, much cheaper, and will be more profitable for everyone,” the studio intends to continue physical production so long as it is able to.

A shifting industry landscape

This stance comes as major players in the industry have increasingly shifted their focus away from physical discs. As noted by IGN, the feasibility of this goal may become more complicated as hardware manufacturers pivot.

Beyond just the medium of delivery, Bloober Team is looking at how physical interaction can enhance gameplay. With the company’s subsidiary, Broken Mirror Games, working on a new horror title titled Onyx: The Dark Group, Babieno is emphasizing a focus on tactile sensations rather than just pushing for higher resolution or lighting. “As humans, we have four other senses, and AI can deliver something for what you see, for what you hear, but why not touch?” he explained.

Why it matters

For players who prioritize physical collections, Bloober Team’s stated desire provides a rare reassurance in a market trending toward all-digital libraries. The availability of physical editions often impacts collector culture, resale value, and the preservation of games in the long term, especially as digital storefronts eventually face sunsetting policies.

While the studio aims to keep physical media alive, future accessibility depends heavily on the decisions of major platform holders. Players should monitor upcoming releases from the studio—including the in-development Silent Hill 1 remake—to see how these release strategies hold up as industry-wide support for disc hardware continues to shift.