Anger toward Sony is running high: Following the announcement that physical PlayStation games will be discontinued in 2028, users have now called for a boycott of certain services—and a petition has also been launched.
Days of anticipation—and then that special feeling of finally holding the box with your chosen game in your hands at the store. For many, these are childhood memories that have long since faded from everyday life. For collectors, however, physical games still hold a special place to this day. That’s exactly what’s set to come to an end on the PlayStation starting in 2028, as Sony announced last week.
The decision to rely exclusively on digital game copies in the future sparked a huge wave of outrage. In addition to widespread criticism, some users have even called for a boycott of various Sony services, including PlayStation Plus. Their goal: to hit the company where it hurts the most—namely, in revenue. It is currently unclear whether Sony will back down from its course in light of the protests.
Sony Is Being Judged by Its Words from 2012
In addition, a petition was launched on change.org that has since gathered more than 130,000 signatures. In it, the initiator recalls E3 2012, when Sony aggressively advertised that buyers could resell, lend, trade, or “keep forever” a PlayStation game—and even mocked its competitors at the time for wanting to restrict precisely these options.
Another point is also controversial: Several years ago, Sony planned to shut down the PlayStation Store for the PlayStation 3. Following massive protests, the company backtracked at the time. However, as part of the phase-out of physical media, the store for PS3 and PS Vita is now being gradually phased out. In some regions, the shutdown will begin as early as 2026; in Germany, it is scheduled for July 2027.
End of GTA Branding Due to Disc Decision?
The end of the GTA branding in the PlayStation app is currently fueling further speculation. Until Friday, the app icon was still designed in the style of the new game, but that look has since disappeared. Some fans suspect a connection to Sony’s decision to phase out physical games. However, there is no evidence to support this.
Neither Sony nor Rockstar Games has commented on this so far. It seems much more plausible that the promotional campaign was only planned to run until July 3 anyway. In addition, Rockstar itself is facing criticism due to the lack of a classic physical version of GTA VI.
