PS5 Players End Week-Long Blackout Protest, Call for Indefinite Extension; Sony Reports 125 Million Monthly
Organizers of a PS5 player protest ended their planned week-long blackout but urged participants to continue indefinitely until Sony changes its stance. The action, running from August 23 to 30, aimed to reduce monthly active users in response to Sony's plan to stop producing physical game discs by January 2028. Sony reported 125 million monthly active users, up year-over-year, and said the protest had no significant impact.
Organizers of the PS5 player-led "blackout" protest have called on participants to continue indefinitely until Sony changes its position, following the conclusion of the originally scheduled one-week period. The action was planned to run from August 23 to August 30, ending at 7 p. m. local time on the 30th. Organizers subsequently revised their messaging, describing the week as the "minimum requirement" for participation and encouraging players to sustain the effort indefinitely.
Under the initially announced rules, participants were required to refrain from logging in, playing games, and making purchases on the PlayStation Store. Organizers said the goal was to reduce the platform's monthly active user count to draw the company's attention. The protest primarily targeted Sony's plan to cease production of physical game discs by January 2028. Organizers argued that the distance between Sony and its player community has been widening, prompting the boycott.
The PS5 is set to receive titles such as "Dawnwalker" and "Onimusha: Way of the Sword," with "Marvel's Wolverine," "Control: Resonance," and "GTA 6" expected later. Sony's most recent financial report showed approximately 125 million monthly active users, an increase year-over-year. Sony Chief Financial Officer Toru Tao previously stated, in reference to the boycott and cancellations of PlayStation Plus subscriptions, that the company had not observed any significant impact on its business from these events.