Despite boycott plans: Sony stands firm on controversial disc phaseout

Back in early June, Sony announced that it would stop producing physical games starting in January 2028. The community has reacted very negatively, citing concerns over the lack of ownership, the disappearance of the used-game market, and increased dependence on the PlayStation Store. In an effort to make Sony reconsider, PlayStation players are even planning a large-scale boycott in August. Sony, however, appears unimpressed.

As reported by Kotaku, among others, Sony CFO Lin Tao was asked about the ongoing criticism during the company's latest earnings presentation and responded as follows:

"We put in a lot of thought and time, and we cautiously considered this, and we came to this conclusion, and we're going to cautiously move this forward...""

That doesn't mean Sony is completely ignoring the backlash. Tao acknowledged that games carry emotional value and personal memories for many people. She said the company has taken note of the many opinions expressed by the community and will continue exploring ways to bring those players into its digital ecosystem. What exactly that means remains unclear. One thing she did not suggest, however, was a return to physical discs.

Reddit community is sticking to its own plans

While Sony appears determined to stay the course despite the criticism, many fans seem equally committed to distancing themselves from the PlayStation ecosystem. On Reddit, numerous users say the PS5 will be their last Sony console. That suggests the community's planned boycott, set to begin on August 23, is likely to go ahead. At the same time, some fans believe that only disappointing PlayStation 6 sales will ultimately be enough to make Sony reconsider its decision.