Circana Says PlayStation Blackout Boycott Barely Moved US PS5 Usage

A boycott called PlayStation Blackout was launched by the game preservation group Does It Play to protest Sony's impending halt of physical PlayStation disc production. Organizers urged PS5 users to switch off their consoles and stop using them for seven consecutive days at the end of last month, in late August 2026.

Data from market research firm Circana showed no significant change in the number of US PS5 players or in usage activity during those seven days. Circana's figures do not cover markets outside the United States, so participation in other regions cannot be judged from them.

Sony first responded in July 2026 to the controversy over ending production of physical PlayStation discs. Chief Financial Officer Lin Tao said during an earnings Q&A that the company had noticed players' reactions on social media and understood the connection between games and physical products and players' personal memories, but would still proceed cautiously with the decision. Sony said its current focus is on how to keep attracting PlayStation players as it moves fully toward a digital ecosystem, and that it has begun talks with retailers about a disc-free future.