It’s Official: The PlayStation Blackout Protest Accomplished Nothing

Players frustrated by Sony’s plans to move away from physical media organized a PlayStation Digital Blackout in August, hoping to send the company a message. Sony’s second-quarter financial results, however, show continued growth, with no obvious decline in sales or engagement during the period.

The boycott was organized in response to Sony’s stated plans to end disc production in January 2028 and concerns that the company could gain too much control over digital game sales. From Aug. 23 through Aug. 30, participants pledged to avoid buying digital games and in-game items or renewing PlayStation Plus subscriptions. Circana video game industry adviser Mat Piscatella reported no significant change in player counts or engagement during the protest.

Sony’s digital sales continue to climb

Sony’s financial results suggest that the boycott had little visible effect on its broader business. Sales and engagement rose, while Insomniac Games’ Marvel’s Wolverine sold 2.4 million copies. Compared with the previous quarter, monthly active users increased by 2 million and digital sales grew by ¥138.8 billion. Including add-ons, the increase reached ¥158.7 billion, or approximately $996.2 million at the quarter’s average exchange rate.

The Nov. 19 launch of Grand Theft Auto 6 could provide another boost in the current fiscal quarter. Players eager to preload the game may place digital pre-orders, and the reported absence of a disc in the physical edition could encourage more customers to buy through the PlayStation Store.

For advocates of physical media, the results offer little sign that Sony’s digital strategy has hurt its business so far. The longer-term impact remains uncertain, as do the price and disc-drive plans for Microsoft’s next-generation Xbox. Some estimates have suggested the console could cost as much as $1,800.

Source: Polygon