Sony’s July 1 announcement to end physical disc production for new PlayStation games starting January 2028 has triggered one of the fastest-growing gaming petitions in years, and the numbers keep climbing. PNP Games CEO Jade Pearce launched “Don’t Kill the Disc” on Change.org the same day, framing it as a direct defense of ownership: a disc lets you lend, trade, resell, or pass games down; a code in a box is just a revocable license. The petition has now cleared 125,621 verified signatures, with supporters posting video diaries and explicit threats to skip the PS6 entirely if physical media dies.[[1]](https://kotaku.com/dont-kill-the-disc-petition-urging-sony-to-preserve-physical-media-on-ps6-breaks-120000-signatures-2000712823)

Sony cited “shifting consumer preferences” toward digital and noted the move has no effect on existing or pre-2028 releases, but factories are already pivoting production and the company’s social accounts have gone dark amid the backlash. Pearce highlighted the jobs and small businesses tied to physical retail, distribution, and the used market that an all-digital future would erase. Even players who mostly buy digital have joined in, arguing the principle of outright ownership still matters when licenses can vanish.[[2]](https://www.change.org/p/don-t-kill-the-disc-tell-sony-to-keep-physical-playstation-games)

Reddit threads and X posts show the anger cutting across casual and hardcore camps, with many calling the 2013 E3 “share your games” marketing a cruel irony now that Sony is the one locking things down. The petition keeps adding thousands of signatures daily, but whether it moves a company already committed to the transition remains the open question. Physical media may be a niche preference for most, yet the coordinated push has turned a quiet policy shift into visible industry pressure.