PlayStation Boycott Officially Begins After Sony's Physical Disc Backlash
The PlayStation boycott officially begins today, as gamers around the world set their controllers aside. They have decided not to use their consoles for an entire week. In this way, they want to send a clear message to Sony. They are very upset about the company’s plan to stop producing physical game discs. For these players, this is a big deal.
The protest began on August 23 and is set to end on August 30. For weeks, it has been discussed on social media under the hashtag #PSBlackout. The goal is simple: Don’t turn on your PlayStation at all. That means: don’t play any games and definitely don’t buy anything from the digital store. The campaign is taking place everywhere, from North America to Japan to Australia.
THE #PSBLACKOUT BOYCOTT HAS BEGUN
It’s hard to say exactly how many people will participate. We don’t yet know to what extent this will actually prompt Sony to reconsider its stance. But the fans are very committed. There’s a petition on Change.org that has already gathered over 371,000 signatures. The petition’s organizers are calling on everyone to join the #PSBlackout.
An update on the petition page states: “If physical media has a future, it will first survive in independent and specialized retail stores. This fight is about ensuring that these stores continue to exist.” They also pointed out that Gamescom is taking place this week. It’s the biggest gaming event of the year, held in Germany. They want to ensure that the protest remains part of the discussion throughout the week.
The protest is being organized by a group called “DoesItPlay.” They want to ensure that gamers everywhere are heard. The message is clear: “Gamers worldwide are logging off, not playing, and not spending a single dollar on PlayStation. We stand behind them.”
COLLECTORS OF PHYSICAL MEDIA WON’T GIVE UP
Sony has announced that it will discontinue production of physical media by January 2028. This applies to games from both Sony and other publishers. Even if you buy a game in a store, you might end up receiving only a code instead of an actual disc. Sony considers this acceptable, since most people buy digital games anyway. However, many collectors are strongly opposed to this change.
If you’d like to support the cause, you can check out the petition on Change.org. It’s definitely an interesting time to be a gamer. Will Sony listen to the fans? We’ll have to wait and see what happens after this week is over.
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