Sony’s decision to stop releasing new physical PlayStation games starting in January 2028 continues to divide the gaming community. Since the announcement, fans have flooded PlayStation’s social media channels with criticism, petitions, and calls for the company to reverse course. However, according to former Santa Monica Studio writer Alanah Pearce, those efforts are unlikely to change Sony’s plans.

Pearce, who previously worked on God of War Ragnarok: Laufey, recently discussed the ongoing backlash and explained why she believes Sony has already committed to its digital-first strategy. According to Pearce, Sony wasn’t caught off guard by the negative reaction. She claims the company anticipated the controversy well before making the announcement and prepared its employees accordingly.

Too late for PlayStation to go back?

Santa Monica Games remains a subsidiary of PlayStation Studios, and Pearce says she spoke with people working at PlayStation’s first-party studios, who told her Sony issued what they described as the strictest social media guidelines they had ever received. While Sony has always had communication policies surrounding major announcements, she says this situation was handled much more carefully because the company knew it would generate significant public criticism.

The reported guidelines were intended to keep employees from commenting publicly on the issue, preventing individual statements from adding fuel to the ongoing debate. Although Sony has yet to respond directly to the backlash, Pearce believes the company’s silence is intentional rather than a sign that it is reconsidering its decision.

Pearce also shared her thoughts on whether petitions and online campaigns could convince Sony to reverse course. She says she doesn’t believe public pressure will change the company’s position. “No amount of public outrage or petitioning will be able to change it,” she notes.

She argued that Sony has likely already evaluated the risks and benefits before making the announcement and is unlikely to abandon a long-term strategy because of social media criticism. In her view, the current backlash simply isn’t enough to alter a business decision of this scale. She also noted that the company’s stock climbed around 7% after the news, suggesting investors responded positively despite widespread criticism from some PlayStation fans.

Pearce also referenced reports that Sony’s disc manufacturing facility in Austria is being repurposed for a different purpose. According to her, the factory is being converted to produce components used in AI data centers, indicating that Sony’s shift away from physical media goes beyond simply changing its software distribution strategy.

About the Author

Abdul Haddi

Abdul is a tech writer and Editor for PC Guide, specializing in all things tech, gaming, and hardware.