PlayStation users attempt to force digital future U-turn as petition surpasses 100,000 milestone

Gamers are continuing to express their frustration at Sony in an attempt to force a U-turn on an all-digital future as a petition surpasses 100,000 signatures.

Following the controversial announcement by Sony Interactive Entertainment that it plans on ending physical video game media on its PlayStation consoles as of January 2028, fans are continuing to vent at the company, and rightly so.

We’d assume that Sony would’ve expected some backlash from fans, but perhaps not to the extent that it has garnered and continues to build momentum. It might be best for Sony to accept that this isn't going to calm down anytime soon.

Gamers plead “Don’t Kill the Disc” as petition gains traction

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Created by Jade Pearce, shortly after Sony announced its plans for the all-digital future, within the first 48 hours of its launch, the petition had gained over 40,000 signatures. At the time of writing, that number has now grown to over 116,000, and it’s only likely to increase in the weeks ahead.

“We are not against digital. We are against digital being the only option. A large and passionate community still wants a real, physical game they own outright, and Sony is about to take that choice away,” read the statement in the petition.

“Sign to tell Sony to keep disc-based games alive beyond 2028, so the next generation can own the games they play, not just rent them. If we do not speak up now, the disc disappears, and the choice goes with it.”

Save Physical Games, Change.org

What is the PlayStation community saying about the Sony controversy?

“Physical media is what makes consoles the best place to play modern AAA games. It's the only decentralised local DRM solution that is both acceptable for publishers and provides sufficient ownership and user control to satisfy both sides,” wrote Vitali in the comments section of the petition.

“I've been a gamer on the PlayStation platform since the PS1 days, and many of my favourite games have been on PlayStation systems, whether as exclusives or simply a preferred platform,” explained Stephen. “However, I'm a physical media gamer, and I refuse to support any gaming company that tells me I don't have the option to own physical media.”

“I will not be purchasing a PlayStation 6 if physical games are discontinued. I have started to perceive PlayStation as a consumer-unfriendly brand and feel like I am being taken advantage of,” exclaimed Tony.

Why is an all-digital video game future a daunting prospect?

As Jade Pearce mentions in the petition, it’s largely about player choice. Furthermore, if the future of PlayStation goes all-digital, as do Xbox and Nintendo, the corporation has full control over the content we’ve paid for.

With no competition, the likes of Sony Interactive Entertainment have control over the price of video games, how or when we can access them, and if there are no other retailers to compete with, we can probably expect to wait much longer for games to be discounted, if at all.

Then, of course, as we’ve recently learned with over 500 StudioCanal movies being removed from PlayStation libraries with no refund due to a license expiration, it’s not outside the realm of possibility that the same could happen with video games.

Will Sony make the dramatic U-turn we desire? Only time will tell, but I wouldn't hold your breath, unfortunately.

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