Of course not. It's all about voting with your wallet. It needs to hurt their bottom line.
this post was submitted on 14 Sep 2026
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100% of the gamers still interested in physical media could stop buying and it still wouldn't make a dent. It's just not a large part of the market anymore.
And even if it was, we're long past the point of voting with your wallet anymore in this age of tech oligopolies. You're going to have to get politically active if you want this. Plenty of allies to be found in cultural preservation efforts across many different media!
And even if it was, we’re long past the point of voting with your wallet anymore in this age of tech oligopolies.
Respectfully, the hell we are. Telling yourself there's nothing we can do about it perpetuates the cycle. For one thing, you could probably stick to just the physical media that already exists and never run out of great video games to play, and besides that, depending on what's important to you, there's DRM-free games.
They're right, though.
Enshittification makes companies money by being actively consumer hostile. Companies know they will lose customers by making unpopular decisions. But these days, they all know how to keep making more money in spite of/because of it.
Sony knows people hate this move. But the problem is that it saves them way more money than they'd ever lose in sales. They get to have a more captive audience with lending/reselling no longer a thing, no longer have to pay for materials and distribution for discs, no longer need to include a disc drive in the cost of the console, etc.
And they know the gambit will pay off, because what are people going to do otherwise? Pay the cost of a PS5 just for RAM?
I already outlined two things you could do instead. Casually overheard on the subway, I know the average Joe who just plays NBA 2K is becoming more and more aware of his other options as the one he liked grows to be worse in some way, whether his line in the sand is physical media or not.
Yes, Netflix got worse; buy some Blu Rays instead...you might find that they're higher quality video than what Netflix has been sending you anyway, and you can get them pretty cheap on sale. PlayStation got worse; play your games somewhere else, even old or low spec ones that run on machines you already have or that you can afford. You won't be the only one in this predicament, and game developers are going to have to start targeting a lower spec to survive. These companies get you used to a thing and either cut benefits or raise prices or both, but they're not essential to your survival or happiness, and there are other things you can do in response.
Well, once I stop paying for their products I really do not care how shitty of a company they become. I'm already free of them. Enshittify away.
The end-users aren't who the big names in the industry are responsive to anymore. It's the shareholders. Alanah Pearce has been banging this drum for a while now; I recommend following her content for more on the topic.
Besides, I didn't say there's nothing we can do. I mentioned exactly what you can do. Get politically active. Connect with others working on media preservation. Help with data collection and research to inform good public policy. Advocate and spread the word. Vote for candidates that pledge regulation and anti-trust action. Back the development of new candidates that will if none exist in your districts.
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Respectfully, they never said there was nothing we can do. They said the method you proffered was ineffective.
The very next sentence they said was "you're going to have to get politically active"
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I think they’re estimated to b between 10-15% of users. The upcharge they’re going to do after the change is implemented will more than make up for it.
As with many things, its a vocal minority amplified by the internet. Everyone is mad when you're on the enthusiast websites, but most people with playstations etc dont go on the enthusiast website and just keep doing their thing.
The article says that there's not enough people mad about it to hurt their bottom line. You're basically proposing to continue doing something that had 0 effect so far.
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Of course it didn't. I don't think some people understand how completely irrelevant the individual is when it comes to corporate decision making. They don't care if you're upset. They're either going to do something extreme, then dial it back (on purpose) to something worse but not as bad, or they're going to ignore you. If they keep at it long enough, newer generations just grow up thinking this is all normal.
Look at DLC. Younger people on here probably think that's normal or good. But older people can remember a time where when a game was released, it was expected to run out the box or you'd immediately refund it because they sold you a broken product. And the game was whole, not locked behind paywalls. Even when PC games got DLC, The Sims still looked absolutely crazy for the sheer cost of all those expansions. To probably well over half of the users here, though, this is the new normal.
My best advice is to support and enjoy indie games that do things right (and can probably run on your PC without costing you a fortune), or start learning to enjoy older games (there's tons of great ones out there!), most of which can be found easily and played on just about any modern computer. SNES, Sega Genesis, Gamecube, PS2, 3DS, etc. There's so many good games out there.
And of course, don't be afraid to find other hobbies. If you really want to make a difference, stop giving any money to these corporations. Video games aren't a necessity. You can choose not to support Sony gaming, simple as that. Not temporarily, but until their business practices change whennever.
I agree.
However, gaming is an important hobby for me, and some games are exclusive for playstation.
But now, I usually just wait for sales (many AAA tittles nowadays don't worth first day purchases anyway).
Also, as you have mentioned, getting other hobbies is also a good idea, I am now running or hitting the gym everyday. Lossing weight become my new hobby now.
Congratulations on getting a regular exercise routine down! Took me longer than it should have myself.
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Keep doing it until they feel it and know! A one time blackout isn't enough, there needs to be consistency.
Right? What's stupid idea. Just as stupid as the reddit temporary blackout with third party apps. Should Have just closed out all of their accounts and subs.
Do it again.
Gamers might be the most pushover demographic of all. First they act so angry and threatening, and then they still buy all the consoles and games anyway, no matter the cost. You can do anything with gamers and the companies know.
Who needs enemies with friends like these, right.
Had so many arguments with console players who kept insisting PS+ games are free games and not rentals despite them ceasing to work without an active subscription. So seeing them flip out over disc ownership given their stance on PS+ games was a strange sight to behold. Paying for online subscription is ridiculous too, but they argued in favor of it when I'd call it out.
Lot of monetization practices they accepted after the PS3 led to the situation they find themselves in.
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This boycot action didn’t make sense even in the beginning.
They announced the end. Everyone is back at playing Playstation as if nothing happened. Well off course not everyone, but the majority.
They had announced the end before they started the boycot so everyone at Sony knew it’s nothing to worry about.
I after the no-disc announcement, saved the current PS5 software number for when it eventually gets jailbroken, unplugged it and it's been sitting in my colset ever since. I've upgraded the GPU and RAM in my older PC, installed Bazzite, and now (about 4 weeks later) my PC gaming library has grown from 12 titles to like 80 for about €100. I pirated every other title I had on PS, that were too expensive. I'm never going back to consoles again.
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Most people just don't care and the tiny majority that does will just be ignored by Sony. Who cares about a tiny fraction of customers protesting when demand is so high that the PS5 Pros are out of stock everywhere https://www.tomsguide.com/gaming/playstation/ps5-pro-restocks-latest-updates
exactly!
if you want to bitch about it, sell your Sony gear. get out of the shitty ecosystem. never look back.
fuck Sony.
I wouldn't sell your gear, put it in a closet, or continue using it without purchasing any more in their ecosystem. But if you sell your gear, you're going to enable someone else who is willing to purchase into the ecosystem. Where if you just closet it or only play with what you have, then they won't gain anything else from it.
Others just quietly left like me with the last Sony console I got being the PS4.
Only consoles I'm interested in picking up are ones I can jailbreak.
I think gaming enthusiasts often forget that they are the vast, vast minority of people using any given platform.
Having worked adjacent to the gaming press for a while now I really get the feeling that people playing single player, story driven, or otherwise "traditional" video games truly believe they're the majority of the market. They are not. A huge percentage of the PlayStation user base either doesn't know or doesn't care about Sony's latest anti-consumer policy (of which there are many). Even if every person who plays and enjoys traditional games and/or cares about preservation/ownership boycotts Sony tomorrow it'll barely move the needle.
Until the GTA online players, the fortnite players, the roblox players, the latest Call of Duty live service players, Genshin Impact players, etc... care it's not going to make any sort of a dent.
I have four nephews.
95% of their playtime is like 4 games. Minecraft, Madden, Fortnite, and whatever the most popular multiplaying FPS is (this changes every year or two). Throw in a few more uber popular ones like Mario Kart, Terraria, Stardew, Elden Ring etc. and that's the other 5%
They rarely play anything else and they think I'm brain damaged because all my games... are not any of those. My games are 'weird' to them. If it hasn't sold 10-20+ million , they don't know what it is.
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Fuck a blackout. Seed :blobcat_pirate:
Dauphong is a goat. IYKYK.
Yea the reason sony is doing this now is because it's the dead zone of this generation cycle. Console sales are falling, people are cancelling PS Plus subscriptions, and they're taking the hits deliberately now so it's ancient history by the time they announce PS6.
Boycotting now means very little. There's already an natural boycott happening as people have lost interest in console gaming. It's just a reaction to being upset, rather than a real sacrifice targeted to inflict the pain necessary for Sony to consider changing.
People haven't lost interest in gaming. The entire global economy has gone to crap. People dont have the disposable income they used to have, and food, gas, and utilities are more important to buy than video games.
Many people have moved to PC gaming because they already have a PC and Steam and GOG have very affordable games and vast libraries to choose from that isn't available on console, most of which are unlikely to have performance problems on their device. PC also has the most discount sale events for games, I am pretty sure.
If they could actually afford it, gaming spending would be higher, especially on walled garden consoles. Guaranteed.
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I used to want a PS5, what would have been my first PlayStation, but I changed my mind and am sticking with PC. They never saw my money so they don't know it's missing. This is why "voting with your wallet" is more nuanced than just "don't buy Sony things."
People who buy Sony things need to stop buying Sony things. Money the company is taking for granted needs to dry up. Boycotts only work if the in crowd becomes the out crowd.
I've been a PS player for the last 10ish years, but recently migrated to PC and not planning to go back. So there's at least 1 costumer of theirs, who won't give them any more money after 10 years.
Sure it did! It had a marvelous impact! I have never painted so many minis, never spent more time with the dog, and finally got around to buying elden ring on PC, thanks to the Sony boycott making me remember to spite Sony. The ps5 sits unplugged on a shelf and was going to get hooked up to the TV but then....all these things started happening and I kinda thought "nah fuckem I can wait till they stop hammering their dicks with a hammer" and they just kept at it so I've been off PS for the past...2 months? 3?
The blackout and wanting to show solidarity with an issue was the final real push for me. Fuck em.
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Dont use playstation, but I want to get a PS2 so I can play this old game, metropolismania. I want it so bad. Dont want to fuck with emulators on the PC. I want a PS2 I can plug into the 2010 TV with the little yellow and red plugs. Turn to channel 3. xD
There is so much content if you work backwards. Im def getting old, but all this tech over reach has me reaching for simplier days as of late.
Composite video used the input channel, RF/coax was the one that made you turn to channel 3 :P
For what it's worthy, PS2 emulation on PC is in an awesome spot right now. Lots of handhelds that do it well now too! Honestly it's less hassle than getting composite video working on a newer tv, so definitely keep that 2010 set working while you can.
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