PlayStation gamers are preparing to switch off their consoles for an entire week in protest over Sony's decision to ditch physical discs. The campaign, dubbed PSBlackout, urges players to power down their consoles and refrain from any purchases on the PlayStation Store between August 23 – 30, beginning and ending at 7pm local time.

It's hoped the dramatic drop in activity on the PlayStation platform will force Sony to U-turn on its decision.

Alongside the global blackout, supporters have rallied behind a "Don't Kill the Disc" petition that organisers claim has gathered more than 356,000 signatures. Some have pledged to cancel their PlayStation Plus subscriptions.

The petition states: "A disc is a real game you own. You can lend it, trade it, resell it, gift it, collect it, or pass it down to your kids. A box with only a download code is not the same thing. It is a digital license in plastic packaging. You do not own it. You are renting access that can be revoked, and people have already had purchased movies deleted from their libraries and games pulled from sale weeks after launch."

Sony's social media channels have also been inundated with thousands of hostile comments beneath nearly every post and video since the announcement.

One X, formerly Twitter, user responded with the hashtag "#NoDiscNoBuy."

Another user wrote: "Bring back physical media, this will continue to escalate."

Despite the expressed outrage, Sony is still moving forward with its decision.

During Sony's most recent quarterly earnings call, Chief Financial Officer Lin Tao said: "When we think about the future, and we put in a lot of thought and time, and we cautiously considered this, and we came to this conclusion. And we’re going to cautiously move this forward."

She continued: "Games are loved by many people. It’s a form of entertainment that’s loved by people. It’s connected to people’s fond memories in many cases. We understand those emotions. We want to consider that, and in the future digital ecosystem how… we engage the gamers is something that we would like to continue to explore.”

When asked whether the backlash was hurting the company, Ms Tao said. "At this point in time, we are not seeing any impact on our business."

The grievances fuelling the blackout extend well beyond the disc question alone. The petition to U-turn Sony's decision also states: "This is also about jobs. Physical games support an entire industry that an all-digital future quietly erases: retailers, distributors, manufacturers, warehousing and logistics, the pre-owned and trade-in market, and the collector and preservation community.

"That is thousands of jobs and countless small businesses. Ending physical media removes consumer choice, weakens local economies, and hands a few platform holders total control over how, and whether, you can access the games you buy.

"We are not against digital. We are against digital being the only option. A large and passionate community still wants a real, physical game they own outright, and Sony is about to take that choice away."

Plus, if you're looking to buy or sell physical discs at these second-hand stores, you may be able to keep a little extra money in your pocket. Depending on the store, those who trade in physical games could be eligible for store credit that they can put towards another title.

However, Sony's financial data shows that digital downloads account for exactly 82% of PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 full-game software sales.

Gamers also appear to be voting with their wallet in Sony's favour. Digital-only ports of Call of Duty: Black Ops and Black Ops II recently displaced Grand Theft Auto VI atop the PS5 bestseller chart, despite being decade-old titles.

Sony has confirmed it will continue shipping boxed game products, though these will contain a digital download code rather than a disc — mirroring the approach already taken with GTA 6.

Whether disgruntled fans channel their frustrations into purchasing decisions around that title remains to be seen. For now, Sony's 2028 roadmap appears firmly set, and the company shows no inclination to waver.