Ever since Sony revealed that production of physical game discs would end in 2028, every single social post has been flooded with backlash. It's gotten so bad that developers publicly express frustration when their announcements are buried in a thick layer of controversy that's completely out of their control. It's inevitable, and even first-party tentpole movies like Marvel's Wolverine aren't exempt.
After dropping a new surprise trailer last night, comments poured in like parrots: “I'm going to buy this PHYSICAL”, “Can't wait for my disc to arrive”, “This game will fit perfectly in my PHYSICAL game collection”, “The PHYSICAL cover art will look so beautiful IN PERSON”, “I'm glad I can buy this and on and on.”
Players point out the irony of Wolverine cherishing his physical photograph of him and Jean Gray together, and poke fun at Sony about Wolverine “getting PHYSICAL” in the new film. “Wolverine going crazy over the loss of a physical photo is a real choice for a trailer at the moment,” @skidman_studio said. Another said: “Man, the animation looks so REAL, like it almost looks tangible, I mean, like it actually physically happened.”
“Remember, guys, buy it physically”
Lawsuits, politicians proposing investigations, former Sony boss Shawn Layden openly disagreeing with the move, a PS Plus boycott and developers upset by the constant barrage of backlash on trailers and social posts – PlayStation may not be reversing the decision, as it has already started to retool its facilities and retrain staff, but it's clear it's not going down.
Sony is facing criticism for building an online monopoly, shutting out 62% of countries from accessing its games and setting a dangerous precedent for preservation – closing PS3 and Vita storefronts and leaving pirates and emulation teams to save the digital exclusives that would otherwise be lost forever. It's Xbox One and Wii U again, only it doesn't look like PlayStation will take back the decision to save face.
Analysts have suggested that Sony knows that the PS6's $1,000 price tag already means there will be far fewer sales, and the plan is to instead “focus on hardcore gamers who are willing to spend more.” That mindset means it's willing to turn away next-gen disk and budget-conscious customers, knowing the PS5 will still be heavily used by its existing player base of over 90 million. The PS Plus boycott and online backlash is ultimately a drop in the ocean, as the Black Ops ports just proved, but pressure remains to ensure game preservation and digital ownership rights.
- Released
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September 15, 2026
- ESRB
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Mature 17+ / Blood and Gore, Drug Reference, Intense Violence, Partial Nudity, Strong Language, In-Game Purchases
- Publisher
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Sony Interactive Entertainment
