It's Official: The PlayStation Blackout Protest Did Nothing
Sony's fiscal quarter reports officially confirm that it continues to thrive after announcing the end of physical media on PlayStation.
In the wake of Sony's decision to discontinue physical media, a protest dubbed the PlayStation Digital Blackout unfolded in August. However, the boycott proved to be ineffective, as Sony's business continued to flourish. Participants were asked to refrain from making in-game purchases, buying digital games, or renewing PlayStation Plus subscriptions from August 23 to August 30.
Unfortunately, the protest failed to make a significant impact on player count or engagement, according to Circana's gaming industry advisor Mat Piscatella. Sony's financial records, however, paint a different picture. Not only did sales and engagement not decline, but they actually increased. Insomniac Games' Marvel's Wolverine led the charge with 2.4 million units sold.
Additionally, monthly active users grew by 2 million, and digital sales rose by ¥138.8 billion, or approximately $996.2 million. With the highly anticipated release of Grand Theft Auto 6, digital sales are expected to continue rising. Although physical media advocates may find this reality harsh, Sony's shift towards an all-digital future has thus far had a positive effect on the company's business.
With Microsoft's next-gen Xbox potentially costing up to $1,800 and lacking a disc drive, it seems highly likely that Sony will continue to prosper in its digital transition.
Written by urgent.news from Polygon's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
