Sony Sends Terms of Service Reminder to PlayStation Users Amid Looming #PSBlackout Boycott

PlayStation users have recently received unprompted reminders regarding platform terms and conditions, just days ahead of a planned fan boycott over Sony's decision to phase out new PlayStation discs by 2028. An email posted to Reddit on August 18 includes full copies of the PlayStation Terms of Service, Code of Conduct, End User License Agreement, and Privacy Policy. Several recipients noted they received the message despite not using their PlayStation 4 or PlayStation 5 systems in months.

Instead of linking to external documentation, the email embeds the full text of each policy, including the digital purchase provisions of the Software EULA. The text explicitly states that software is licensed rather than sold, granting users a limited, non-exclusive, non-transferable, and personal license for private, non-commercial use. The terms further prohibit renting, modifying, or obtaining games through unauthorized methods.

The arrival of the email coincides with an organized fan protest called the #PSBlackout campaign, which runs from August 23 to August 30. Organized by the fan group DoesItPlay, the campaign asks participants to log off, avoid purchases, and cancel subscriptions in protest against Sony moving away from physical media.

During a recent earnings call, Sony chief financial officer Lin Tao addressed the company's decision to end the production and sale of PlayStation game discs in early 2028. Tao reaffirmed the company's position, explaining that the shift is primarily driven by the broader, ongoing progress of content digitalization across the industry, while acknowledging the strong feelings users hold regarding physical media.