The irony is hard to miss. A campaign started by Canadian retailer PNP Games to keep physical media alive on PlayStation has now garnered over 170,000 signatures. The Don't Kill the Disc petition aims to push back against Sony’s bombshell announcement that it will end all physical disc manufacturing in January 2028.
This move, which covers both Sony Interactive Entertainment titles and third-party releases, effectively signals the end of physical media for the platform. Following the 2028 cutoff, all PlayStation releases will be limited to digital formats, including retail options that rely on code-in-the-box distribution.
A Contradiction of 2013 Promises
The petition’s core argument centers on the shift in Sony’s stance over the last decade. It specifically highlights the company’s infamous 2013 instructional video on used games, which mocked competitors for attempting to restrict trading and lending. The petition argues that Sony won over a generation of players by promising they could "keep it forever," only to move toward a model that restricts those very freedoms 13 years later.
Beyond the loss of trade-in and resale value, the campaign cites concerns over the erosion of consumer ownership and the negative impact on long-term game preservation. "If we do not speak up now, the disc disappears, and the choice goes with it," the petition states. "When the market leader ends the disc, the rest of the industry follows."
Sony’s Silence and Market Control
Sony has yet to officially acknowledge the petition or address the backlash. The official PlayStation account on X remained silent for nearly a week following the announcement, only breaking its hiatus to post about the FlexStrike fight stick. Industry experts suggest that the move is designed to grant Sony greater control over the marketplace, allowing the company to dictate pricing and access without the influence of the secondary retail market.
While Sony has framed the decision as a response to shifting consumer trends, the scale of the petition suggests a significant portion of the user base is not in alignment with that trajectory. Whether the pressure will force a change in strategy remains to be seen, but the petition serves as a clear indicator of how deeply the move has impacted the community.
Layoffs Impact Obsidian Entertainment
In other industry developments, Obsidian Entertainment is facing significant staff reductions. Following the sweeping restructuring at Xbox that affected 3,200 jobs, the studio behind The Outer Worlds and Avowed is reportedly losing approximately a quarter of its workforce.
The cuts involve 60 to 70 roles across various departments, including writers, designers, and artists, with some employees having been with the studio for over a decade. While work on Grounded 2 and upcoming The Outer Worlds 2 DLC is expected to continue for now, the future beyond those projects remains unclear. Narrative designer Jay Turner, who was among those affected, characterized the cuts as "Microsoft sacrificial rituals" in a post on BlueSky.