A group of PlayStation fans is calling for a one-week PS5 blackout in August as a protest against Sony Interactive Entertainment’s direction, including its plan to end disc-based physical releases in 2028.
The proposed action would run from Sunday, August 23, at 7:00 PM local time through Sunday, August 30, at 7:00 PM local time. Participants would be asked to turn off their consoles or log out for the full seven days, while also avoiding purchases across Sony’s platforms.
The goal is to affect the active-player numbers Sony closely tracks. The organizers said the company had grown “further apart from its fan base” and described the boycott as both an economic and gameplay protest. Their call for the action is available in a social media post from Does it play?
“Sony wants to abandon fans? Let’s give them a small taste of their own medicine!” the organizers wrote, before calling for a week without logins, play sessions, or purchases on Sony platforms.
Sony wants to abandon fans? Let's give them a small taste of their own medicine!
Together with other creators we call for a 1 week #PSBlackout in August. No logins, no play sessions, no purchases on any of Sony's platforms. pic.twitter.com/v6JvdvbHLD
— Does it play? (@DoesItPlay1) July 26, 2026
The statement points to several other sources of frustration, including the closure of studios such as Bluepoint and Japan Studio, Sony’s canceled fan events, the company’s live-service push, and the lack of new entries in dormant series. It specifically mentions Twisted Metal, SOCOM, Sly Cooper, and Resistance as franchises fans want to see return.
Organizers also argue that restoring physical releases alone would not resolve the wider complaints surrounding PlayStation. In their view, the disc decision is the latest problem in a longer list of choices that have left parts of the community feeling ignored.
The proposed blackout has not been announced as an official PlayStation event, and participation will depend entirely on individual players. Its effect would also depend on how many people actually disconnect from the platform during the specified week.
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