Overview
- Organizers called for a weeklong PS5 blackout from August 23–30 to protest Sony's decision to stop producing physical game discs, but participation appears limited.
- Circana analyst Mat Piscatella reported that US player counts and engagement showed "no significant change at all" during the late‑August blackout in Circana's tracking.
- The data cited covers only the United States, so the boycott's effect in other markets remains unmeasured and could differ from the US picture.
- Sony has told investors it has not seen measurable business impact from cancellations or the boycott and continues to move toward a digital‑first distribution model while discussing retailer options such as codes‑in‑boxes.
- The campaign produced strong social‑media visibility, including large Reddit threads and Twitter views, but the US tracking suggests online traction did not translate into a detectable change in console usage.