Sony's Move to End PlayStation Discs Sparks Petition with Over 30,000 Signatures

If you’re frustrated by Sony’s decision to kill physical PlayStation game discs, you’re definitely not alone. Nearly 30,000 gamers have already signed a petition urging Sony to rethink its digital-only future, while thousands more have flooded social media to voice their disappointment following the company’s announcement.

Over 30,000 gamers are already fighting Sony’s digital-only PlayStation decision

The biggest campaign so far comes from Canadian retailer PNP Games, whose Change.org petition has quickly climbed to almost 30,000 signatures. The backlash comes right after Sony confirmed that every new PlayStation release launching from January 2028 onward will be distributed digitally. Existing titles and games scheduled before that deadline remain unaffected, but future releases, including those expected on PlayStation 6, are set to abandon physical media entirely.

That being said, the chances of Sony reversing course appear extremely slim. As noted by Wccftech in its report, Austria’s public broadcaster ORF, reports that preparations for the transition have already been underway for quite some time. The report says Sony’s DADC manufacturing facility in Thalgau has already started shifting its long-term production plans away from PlayStation discs.

Sony DADC CEO Dietmar Tanzer reportedly said PlayStation currently accounts for roughly half of the plant’s production, with new game disc orders representing around 20% of that volume. By 2028, that figure is expected to shrink significantly as manufacturing moves toward optical microlenses instead. Employees are reportedly already receiving training for the transition, although ORF says no layoffs are currently planned for the site’s roughly 300 workers.

Speaking of backlash, let’s not forget that some PlayStation fans are encouraging other players to cancel their PlayStation Plus subscriptions. Many have reportedly shared cancellation screenshots to show support for the movement and send Sony a message.

XBOX appears to be also moving in the same direction

Sony’s announcement has only added fuel to speculation that future consoles across the industry could abandon physical media altogether. Right after Sony made official announcement t, new reports emerged hinting that XBOX is also working on a new Disc-to-Digital feature, while rumors around Project Helix releasing with no disc support is also making rounds online.

Whether players like it or not, the shift toward an all-digital console generation now looks far more inevitable than it did just a few years ago.