I don't understand from your post what your circuit looks like, but i suspect it wouldn't allow a matrix and therefore would require a lot of I/O, but you are right about one thing: software is not the only way to debounce a keyboard. But software debouncing is (almost) always cheaper, because you only need a controller and a handfull of pushbuttons in matrix configuration.
If you need to do hardware debouncing, and have enough I/O to do without a matrix, I suggest you don't use logic, but a bag of capacitors.