Of course not. It's all about voting with your wallet. It needs to hurt their bottom line.

Of course it didn't. I don't think some people understand how completely irrelevant the individual is when it comes to corporate decision making. They don't care if you're upset. They're either going to do something extreme, then dial it back (on purpose) to something worse but not as bad, or they're going to ignore you. If they keep at it long enough, newer generations just grow up thinking this is all normal.

Look at DLC. Younger people on here probably think that's normal or good. But older people can remember a time where when a game was released, it was expected to run out the box or you'd immediately refund it because they sold you a broken product. And the game was whole, not locked behind paywalls. Even when PC games got DLC, The Sims still looked absolutely crazy for the sheer cost of all those expansions. To probably well over half of the users here, though, this is the new normal.

My best advice is to support and enjoy indie games that do things right (and can probably run on your PC without costing you a fortune), or start learning to enjoy older games (there's tons of great ones out there!), most of which can be found easily and played on just about any modern computer. SNES, Sega Genesis, Gamecube, PS2, 3DS, etc. There's so many good games out there.

And of course, don't be afraid to find other hobbies. If you really want to make a difference, stop giving any money to these corporations. Video games aren't a necessity. You can choose not to support Sony gaming, simple as that. Not temporarily, but until their business practices change whennever.

Keep doing it until they feel it and know! A one time blackout isn't enough, there needs to be consistency.

Do it again.

If you actually give a shit, delete your sony account and move to pc. I said as much when this boycott was announced, their systems wouldn't even notice it. If you want to affect their bottom line you have to leave and not come back. Concessions are only gained if you're willing to walk out entirely. And you have more rights around ownership digitally on pc anyway. I've never bought a digital title for a console and that's the way it will stay. There is 0 reason to be on a closed ecosystem as a gamer. Get your friends to join, set up local learning/gaming sessions, make new friends, own your hardware again, get linux, get drm free games, support indie devs and fuck AAA titles that serve you unfinished slop.

Gamers might be the most pushover demographic of all. First they act so angry and threatening, and then they still buy all the consoles and games anyway, no matter the cost. You can do anything with gamers and the companies know.

This boycot action didn’t make sense even in the beginning.

Most people just don't care and the tiny majority that does will just be ignored by Sony. Who cares about a tiny fraction of customers protesting when demand is so high that the PS5 Pros are out of stock everywhere https://www.tomsguide.com/gaming/playstation/ps5-pro-restocks-latest-updates

I think gaming enthusiasts often forget that they are the vast, vast minority of people using any given platform.

Having worked adjacent to the gaming press for a while now I really get the feeling that people playing single player, story driven, or otherwise "traditional" video games truly believe they're the majority of the market. They are not. A huge percentage of the PlayStation user base either doesn't know or doesn't care about Sony's latest anti-consumer policy (of which there are many). Even if every person who plays and enjoys traditional games and/or cares about preservation/ownership boycotts Sony tomorrow it'll barely move the needle.

Until the GTA online players, the fortnite players, the roblox players, the latest Call of Duty live service players, Genshin Impact players, etc... care it's not going to make any sort of a dent.

Fuck a blackout. Seed :blobcat_pirate:

I used to want a PS5, what would have been my first PlayStation, but I changed my mind and am sticking with PC. They never saw my money so they don't know it's missing. This is why "voting with your wallet" is more nuanced than just "don't buy Sony things."

People who buy Sony things need to stop buying Sony things. Money the company is taking for granted needs to dry up. Boycotts only work if the in crowd becomes the out crowd.

Sure it did! It had a marvelous impact! I have never painted so many minis, never spent more time with the dog, and finally got around to buying elden ring on PC, thanks to the Sony boycott making me remember to spite Sony. The ps5 sits unplugged on a shelf and was going to get hooked up to the TV but then....all these things started happening and I kinda thought "nah fuckem I can wait till they stop hammering their dicks with a hammer" and they just kept at it so I've been off PS for the past...2 months? 3?

The blackout and wanting to show solidarity with an issue was the final real push for me. Fuck em.

Yea the reason sony is doing this now is because it's the dead zone of this generation cycle. Console sales are falling, people are cancelling PS Plus subscriptions, and they're taking the hits deliberately now so it's ancient history by the time they announce PS6.

Boycotting now means very little. There's already an natural boycott happening as people have lost interest in console gaming. It's just a reaction to being upset, rather than a real sacrifice targeted to inflict the pain necessary for Sony to consider changing.

Dont use playstation, but I want to get a PS2 so I can play this old game, metropolismania. I want it so bad. Dont want to fuck with emulators on the PC. I want a PS2 I can plug into the 2010 TV with the little yellow and red plugs. Turn to channel 3. xD

There is so much content if you work backwards. Im def getting old, but all this tech over reach has me reaching for simplier days as of late.