Hundreds of thousands of people have signed a petition created by a Winnipeg video game store after Sony said earlier this month it plans to ditch physical PlayStation game discs.
Sony announced on July 1 that it will stop producing physical copies of new games for PlayStation consoles starting in January 2028. PlayStation games released after that date will only be available in digital formats.
The company said the move is an effort to “adapt to consumer trends as the general preference for digital media significantly outpaces physical discs.”
Many gamers disagree.
As of Thursday, more than 320,000 people have signed an online petition — called Don’t Kill the Disc — started by PNP Games, which has three stores in Winnipeg.
“We definitely know that physical isn’t dead. We know there is demand,” said Lee Skwarek, PNP’s products and promotions manager.
“The goal is to keep a physical option on the table for those who want it,” he said.
“A download code or a digital purchase is very much a licence. If you read that small print that pops up when you’re making those purchases, it lets you know it can be revoked,” Skwarek said, adding games you buy could disappear from your console if there are licensing changes or the game is pulled from the platform.
“Unless you own that actual disc, you don’t own it.”
Gamers learned last month that Grand Theft Auto VI will be released in a digital-only format when it comes out in November. Anyone who buys a copy in retail stores will get a download code, not a disc.
“Now, there is no choice in buying the new Grand Theft Auto VI. You will buy it digitally,” Skwarek said.
Emma Vossen, assistant professor of game studies at Brock University, said she felt “ripped off” when she recently bought a special edition pack of Resident Evil Generation for the Nintendo Switch 2, only to find the box contained key cards that unlock digital downloads.
As an expert in the field, she’s not surprised Sony plans to shift toward a digital-only release model.
“We see a lot of platforms … are trying to move consumers towards a model where we don’t actually own things,” said Vossen, who has observed companies moving toward more of a streaming model in recent years.
Vossen, who collects video games and other physical media, says she doesn’t buy Sony’s suggestion it’s ending physical disc production because that’s what consumers want.
“I don’t know a single person who’s happy about this decision,” she said.
Vossen doesn’t think consumer outrage will change Sony’s decision, as she believes the company will continue to do “whatever will make them the most money in the long term.”
However, she thinks physical video games could see a resurgence similar to that of vinyl records or VHS tapes as more companies move toward digital-only models.
“I think that we’re just going to see this movement grow and grow, where people want the ability to enjoy and own media on their own terms,” Vossen said.
She said the thrift stores she frequents are being “cleared out” of physical media since Sony’s announcement.
CBC News reached out to Sony for comment on Thursday.
