PS5 Blackout: PlayStation fans launch week long boycott, here is when it will end
Follow UsPlayStation users are joining a week-long protest against Sony.
The protest is mainly about the future of physical game discs.
Players are being asked to stay offline and avoid buying games during the week.
PlayStation fans around the world are calling for a week-long PS5 Blackout as a protest against Sony. During the protest the gamers will switch off their consoles and stay offline from the PlayStation Network, ensuring that Sony’s daily user numbers will drop. The protest comes amid growing backlash over Sony’s reported plans to move away from physical PlayStation game discs, with fans expressing concern about a future in which games could be sold exclusively through digital platforms. The campaign has quickly gained attention on social media, with hashtags and short videos encouraging players to take part. Here’s everything you need to know about the PS5 Blackout protest and the controversy surrounding Sony’s plans.
SurveyWhat is the PS5 Blackout?
The PS5 Blackout is a voluntary boycott organised by PlayStation users and fan communities, led largely by a group called ‘Does It Play?’ During the time of protest, the PlayStation players are being asked to turn off their consoles, log out of their PSN accounts, and avoid any spending on the PlayStation Store for a full week. The organisers describe the protest as an economic and gameplay blackout, aimed at hurting Sony’s engagement and sales numbers rather than targeting individual game developers.
Games like Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection Vol 2, Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy, and Star Wars Zero Company are also set to release during the blackout period. Players who are voluntarily joining the protest are expected to skip the launches.
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PS5 Blackout: Dates
The PS5 Blackout started on August 23 at 7PM and will end on August 30, 2026, at 7PM IST.
Reason behind the PS5 Blackout
Sony recently stated that the company will stop the production of the physical discs for all new PlayStation games starting January 2028. The company also confirmed that every new title following that, whether made by Sony or other studios, will only be available digitally through the PlayStation Store or as a code inside a box.
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While the company clarified that the games that are already in the pipeline or have already been released will still be available in the disc format, the company will only not be making discs for the upcoming games.
However, the PlayStation users across the world are against the decision by the company. For many long-time players, this is not just about discs. Rather, it’s about who truly owns the games they pay for and whether they can still play them years later without needing an internet connection or Sony’s permission.
A petition called ‘Don’t Kill the Disc’ has also been previously filed that has received hundreds of thousands of signatures. Sony’s CFO has acknowledged the criticism but said that the company has not seen any effect on its business and still plans to continue with its original decision. As a result of that, the gamers decided to go ahead with the PS5 Blackout.
