PlayStation mocked by angry gamers as it unveils new hardware for 2026
Sony's decision to end support for physical PlayStation games continues to come back and bite them, as a new hardware announcement is flooded with mocking comments from angry gamers who still refuse to accept the controversial move.
It's been a rough month and a half for Sony after it revealed plans to kill off physical games on PlayStation after January 2028, as the decision received significant backlash from almost all corners of the gaming world.
While digital has emerged as the predominant platform that most gamers buy new titles these days, in the United States at least, many still value the option of a physical disc highly — especially when it comes to securing a cheaper alternative.
Sony appears unwilling to budge on the move, shifting production in its primary disc manufacturing plant away from games, yet disgruntled players have been keen to remind the gaming giant of its mistake, responding mockingly to the reveal of a new special edition controller for the PlayStation 5.
Gamers hit out at Sony after new controller is revealed
New peripherals are almost always received positively among fans, as they give hardcore players a way to customize their experience and pick up a rare piece of hardware to add to their set-up.
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Sony might have expected the same to be true when they announced a new Icon Blue Special Edition DualSense controller on X, yet that couldn't be further from the truth when looking at the replies.
Many have called out what they perceive to be 'greed' after there's still no update on the physical games backlash, with some noting that they're not 'disillusioned' by the company behind their favorite console.
"Can I get a digital version? You hate physical remember," quipped one of the top replies, with another adding: "I used to respect and love the PlayStation brand when you put the quality of games and gamers first — back in the PS1 and PS2/3 days.
"But sadly this has eroded to the point where for Sony, it's all about the money," they argued. "Gamers don't matter to you. I'm done with Sony. Sad really."
Some are even calling for a complete boycott on Sony-associated products with the tagline: 'No physical games? No money'. This appears to not only include new games on the PlayStation store, but any peripherals and perhaps even the PS6 which appears to be edging ever closer.
Will the decision ever be reversed?
While gamers have joined forces in opposing the decision, it's incredibly unlikely that simple consumer pressure is enough to convince Sony to go back on what they've likely been planning for years now.
Petitions have garnered hundreds of thousands of signatures, yet that still likely won't move the needle — especially when speculation indicates that the PlayStation 6 will arrive without a disc drive entirely.
Likely only significant legal action or a complete boycott would prompt any kind of u-turn from Sony, and while there have been several lawsuits launched already, these could perhaps be dealt with through compensation or a shift in how digital games are sold, as opposed to the reintroduction of discs for new titles.
Considering the fact that Xbox is also joining the movement to kill of physical games – albeit with a slightly different approach allowing people to convert discs into digital licences – it's something that PlayStation can't really 'lose' the console war for, which only strengthens the current position.