A recent boycott organized by PlayStation fans to protest the company's phasing out of physical media reportedly had no significant impact on player counts or overall platform engagement, according to Circana analyst Matt Piscatella.
The protest, which took place during the last week of August, encouraged players to refrain from using their PlayStation consoles, making purchases, or renewing subscriptions to services like PlayStation Plus. The initiative was a response to Sony's decision to abandon physical disc production for new games starting in January 2028.
Despite the boycott's intentions, Piscatella indicated that PlayStation observed no substantial changes in player activity during the designated period. While specific data was not provided, the analyst's assessment suggests the protest's effect was negligible.
This outcome may prove disappointing for those seeking to influence PlayStation's strategy regarding physical games. The report also notes that major upcoming releases, such as Grand Theft Auto VI, are unlikely to be affected by the shift to digital-only formats. Industry speculation suggests that Xbox may aim to capitalize on this market shift, with reports indicating that the next Xbox console may retain a disc drive. Microsoft has been exploring ways to bridge the gap for players with existing physical libraries, including features that allow for the digitization of owned discs.
With 2028 marking the end of PlayStation's support for physical media, titles like God of War Laufey and potentially Intergalactic: Heretic Prophet are expected to be among the last physical releases for the platform. The future of physical media on PlayStation appears increasingly uncertain.