The PlayStation Blackout: What Are We Giving Up?

I could be right, or I could be wrong about the importance of supporting the current PlayStation blackout (even if it appears to be an ignored effort).

I understand the convenience of digital media, I myself appreciate the luxury of having access to everything instantly, all in one place. But there is an important distinction between owning a physical copy of a game and purchasing a digital license to access one.

Because of this shift away from physical media, we need to understand what we are giving up as both gamers and consumers.

Many of us are so emotionally entrenched in the PlayStation ecosystem that we are willing to accept a corporate decision without realizing the consequences that our actions may have. 

First it’s the physical disc, then it’s the loss of meaningful control over the digital license. Then, only then, will we have willingly allowed them to sell us another monthly streaming service.

This will be yet another subscription that will keep giving us less but will always cost more. Haven’t we learned from music and video streaming services, the same services that have gone up in price cumulatively by as much as 30% since 2023? Physical media for both mediums have become harder to find on traditional store shelves, and as a result, both the media and the players have gone up considerably in price.

Think of physical media as an ownership safeguard that grants you full control of the content from the moment of acquisition. The end of physical media removes that control, and more importantly, it removes options such as the opportunity to buy used or shop around for a better price.

The removal of physical media is just the beginning. Once we are accustomed to digital-only ownership (as the majority are now), the limitations of those digital licenses become much easier to accept. This will, in time, lead to the acceptance of streaming gaming services, which will have been built-up as the all encompassing solution. At this point, you will own nothing and be happy about it.

We've already seen this happen with music, movies and television. Why wouldn't gaming eventually follow the same path?

If all of this bothers you, then vote with your wallet. I am not saying unplug your PS4 or PS5, instead consider cancelling your PlayStation Plus subscription. Buy your games used and support physical releases when they’re available. Once you’re done with the game, lend it to a friend or family member so they can experience it too (by the way, Blu-ray discs are practically indestructible when compared to CDs and DVDs, so they’re durable).

This may seem meaningless to some, but it’s an easy way to tell a faceless corporation that you still want options and that we aren’t ready to surrender control entirely for convenience.

The future of gaming definitely looks bleak, but we still have a foot in the game (pun intended). And if you choose to let all of this play out from the sidelines, that's your choice. But don’t be surprised when that streaming subscription goes up by another 30% to 40% in a span of a few short years. Because by that point, the choice will no longer be ours to make.

Again, I could be wrong about all of this, but I could also be right.