Sony may call this a digital transition, but for many PlayStation fans, it feels like ownership is being quietly taken away.
PlayStation fans began switching off their PS5 consoles on August 23 as the week-long PSBlackout protest officially started, with organizers calling on players to avoid PlayStation Network logins, gameplay sessions, and purchases until August 30.
The protest is aimed at Sony Interactive Entertainment’s plan to stop producing physical discs for all new PlayStation games starting January 2028.
Sony confirmed that new games will still be sold through the PlayStation Store and retailers, but in digital formats only.
Why PlayStation Fans Are Going Offline
The #PSBlackout campaign has been promoted by game preservation group Does It Play, which is asking supporters to take part in an “economic and gameplay blackout.” Some fans are unplugging consoles entirely, while others are logging out of PSN and avoiding PlayStation Store spending for the week.
For many players, the issue is not only about discs.
It is about ownership, resale, preservation, and long-term access to games once new releases become tied fully to digital storefronts.
Sony said the move reflects changing consumer habits as digital media continues to outpace physical discs. The company also said the transition will not affect games that already released, or games scheduled to release on disc before January 2028.
Petition and Social Pushback Keep Growing
The blackout follows weeks of online backlash under slogans such as “No Disc, No Buy.”
A Change.org petition titled “Don’t Kill the Disc” was created after Sony’s announcement and has since drawn hundreds of thousands of signatures, according to multiple gaming reports.
Recent PlayStation posts and video comment sections have also been flooded by fans criticizing the disc cutoff.
TechRadar reported that Sony’s “It Happens on PS5” ad, which features Grand Theft Auto 6 and other upcoming games, was met with comments from users still angry over the planned shift away from physical games.
Sony Says It Is Moving Ahead
Sony has not reversed the January 2028 timeline.
During the company’s fiscal 2026 first-quarter earnings discussion, Sony Group CFO Lin Tao said the company is not seeing an impact on its business so far and does not expect the disc decision to have a negative effect.
Tao also said Sony understands that players have strong feelings about the change, but added that the company is still moving forward carefully as the wider entertainment market becomes more digital.
Will #PSBlackout Change Sony’s Mind?
That is the big question…
A one-week protest may be hard to measure against PlayStation’s global user base, but organizers are hoping the timing will make Sony notice a dip in activity, purchases, and engagement.
The blackout is scheduled to run until August 30 at 7 PM local time.
As of this writing, Sony has not announced any change to its January 2028 physical disc cutoff.
via: GamesReviews | PlayStation Blog | GamesRadar+ | TechRadar
