A PlayStation developer has revealed that Sony is instructing its employees not to discuss physical games on social media, offering an explanation for why the company remains silent amid widespread backlash over its decision to go digital-only.
Sony's strict social media guidelines
According to Alanah Pearce, a video game writer who previously worked at Santa Monica Studio on the upcoming God of War Laufey, employees at PlayStation studios are under 'the strictest social media guidelines' regarding the topic. Speaking in a recent YouTube video, Pearce explained that Sony has told its staff what they can and cannot say publicly, and the company's physical game plans are off-limits.
Pearce noted that while she couldn't provide specific examples, Sony regularly restricts employee communications on certain matters. The policy is apparently designed to present a united front on the digital-only shift, which Sony announced will take effect after 2027.
Backlash expected and ignored
The online backlash has been persistent since the announcement, with angry comments flooding PlayStation's social media and YouTube channels. However, Sony has refused to acknowledge the complaints. According to Pearce, this silence is not a sign of surprise but a calculated move. 'Sony already knew everyone would be p***ed off – they knew this,' she said, adding that the social media restrictions are the strictest she has ever seen regarding public communications.
Pearce doubts any amount of backlash or petitions will change Sony's course. 'They would only have done this if they knew it was going to be an enormous PR issue. This is no surprise to them,' she added.
Industry reactions
Several prominent developers have expressed disappointment with Sony's decision, including Hideo Kojima and Yoko Taro. Disgaea creator Sohei Niikawa suggested that Sony might as well stop making new consoles if it abandons physical games entirely. Despite this, Sony is unlikely to backtrack, as its primary disc manufacturer has already shifted priorities, indicating the move was long planned.
The largest online petition against the decision has garnered 337,985 signatures at the time of writing, but Pearce noted that this is insufficient to change Sony's strategy, given that the vast majority of PlayStation game sales now come from digital downloads.
