The backlash against Sony’s decision to stop producing physical PlayStation games in 2028 is continuing to grow, with angry fans now proposing a week-long PS5 blackout.

The planned protest would see participating players unplug their consoles from August 23 to August 30 in an attempt to hit one of Sony’s most important statistics: active players.

In a statement shared on social media, organisers said the platform holder had grown “further apart from its fan base”.

Fans Say Sony Has Lost Touch

Organisers claim that Sony has grown increasingly distant from its most loyal fans. Pointing to the closure of studios such as Bluepoint and Japan Studio, alongside the disappearance of franchises including Sly Cooper and Resistance.

The protest makes it clear that simply bringing physical games back would not solve every problem fans have with PlayStation. For many players, the disc decision has become the final straw after years of frustration.

Here’s the statement in full:

“For several years now, Sony Interactive Entertainment has continued to grow further apart from its fan base. Whether it’s closing beloved studios like Bluepoint, pursuing a misguided live-service strategy, canceling fan events, leaving PSVR2 to die, or being completely out of touch with the franchises players want to see return, PlayStation has never felt more disconnected from its community.

Ending physical discs in 2028 feels like the last straw. We understand there is only so much SIE can control, but with the decisions that are within its control, the company continues to mismanage the strong position it inherited from the PS4 era.

There are so many issues with PlayStation right now that bringing back physical games would only be meeting players halfway. There is still much more SIE can do. We miss Twisted Metal, SOCOM, Sly Cooper, and Resistance. We miss PlayStation Experience. We miss Japan Studio.

With that, we are calling on PlayStation players to participate in an economic and gameplay blackout from Sunday, August 23, at 7:00 PM local time through Sunday, August 30, at 7:00 PM local time. Players can participate by turning off their consoles or logging out for seven days. We feel that this period gives publishers and developers minimal impact while still giving players a voice.”

Will a PS5 Blackout Actually Work?

The idea behind the blackout is simple: stop playing, stop spending, and make Sony notice. If enough players disconnect from PlayStation for an entire week, the protest could potentially impact the engagement numbers the company closely monitors.

Whether it will actually make Sony reconsider its plans remains to be seen. However, a coordinated blackout could be more effective than endlessly flooding social media with angry posts.

Sony is ultimately a business, and the strongest message players can send is through their playing habits and their wallets. If enough PlayStation fans genuinely feel the company is moving too far away from them, a week-long PS5 blackout could become one of the most organised protests the platform has seen in years.