PlayStation ‘Blackout’ Planned In August To Protest Discless Future - Kotaku

What the report says

Kotaku reports that a group of PlayStation fans is planning a week-long “PSBlackout” in August to protest Sony’s stated move away from physical game discs. The action is scheduled for August 23 to August 30, with organizers asking PlayStation owners not to log in, play games, or buy content on PlayStation-related platforms during that period.

According to Kotaku, the protest was announced July 26 by DoesItPlay, a game preservation and consumer rights group, and was spotted by Push Square via Eurogamer. The group describes the campaign as both an economic and gameplay blackout, urging participants to turn off consoles or log out of services for seven days. Organizers framed the effort as a response to Sony’s plan, reported by Kotaku as announced nearly a month earlier, to stop disc production for new PlayStation games beginning in 2028.

The article places the blackout within broader fan frustration over PlayStation’s recent direction, including complaints cited by DoesItPlay about studio closures, live-service strategy, canceled fan events, and support for PS VR2. Kotaku notes that whether the blackout has any practical effect will depend on how many players actually participate and whether the action becomes visible enough to matter to Sony.

Kotaku also points to continuing momentum behind a related “Don’t Kill The Disc” petition, saying it rose from about 120,000 signatures on July 6 to just over 345,000 by July 27. The dispute reflects a larger concern among some players and preservation advocates that digital-only distribution can reduce ownership, access, resale options, and long-term availability of games.