Sony has angered its fans this week by announcing it will wind down physical disc production for PlayStation games from 2028, prompting hundreds of PS5 gamers to cancel their PlayStation Plus subscriptions in protest.
Gamers Vote with Their Wallets
In the wake of the news, gamers are voting with their wallets by cancelling their PlayStation Plus memberships. While data shows that over 85% of PlayStation game sales in its final quarter were digital, the consequences for physical ownership and the second-hand market have riled up many of the platform's biggest fans.
A quick search of social media such as Reddit and X surfaces hundreds of gamers vowing to cancel their PlayStation Plus subscriptions unless Sony reverses its decision.
"Only way to make a statement is with your wallet," reads one adamant Reddit comment. Another replies to a post about cancelling PS+, saying: "Did the same yesterday, I know it won't move the needle even an inch but I refuse to give my money to such practices."
There are countless other comments that all share the same sentiment, including, "Already cancelled mine," and, "I canceled mine yesterday and it had nothing to do with the news; it was just not a useful service for the price anymore."
What Is PlayStation Plus?
PlayStation Plus is Sony's monthly subscription service that grants access to online multiplayer. Depending on the tier, it also grants access to a wide library of digital games, with new titles available to redeem every month.
Outrage Beyond Gamers
It's not just gamers who are outraged by the decision. The Video Game History Foundation also slammed Sony for the move, writing in a statement: "This is unfortunate news for those who still prefer buying games on physical media, and is certainly a hit to consumer rights, the resale market, and game creators whose businesses rely on the physical market."
Will Cancelling PlayStation Plus Make Any Difference?
Sadly for these riled up gamers, it doesn't sound like Sony is set on reversing its decision any time soon. Staff at its disc plant in Austria are already reporting a restructuring effort in the wake of the news as it starts to wind down production.
Meanwhile, reports seem to indicate that both the next PlayStation and Xbox consoles will forgo a disc drive entirely. However, Nintendo appears to remain committed to physical cartridges for the foreseeable future – even if some of them are only keycards to access a digital download anyway.
