New PS Plus "perks" include free trials for YouTube Premium, users say they just

Sometimes giving Malibu Stacy a new hat works, sometimes it doesn't. Sony is learning that offering discounts and other initiatives for PlayStation users isn't enough to make people forget about the corporation stopping physical discs come 2028.

In a social media post, Sony highlights the various perks to being a subscriber to PlayStation Plus. These include a free trial for meditation app Calm, reductions on Audible, and discounts across various other products in Sony's expensive range.

Most lucrative is the three-month free trial for YouTube Premium. Given how that platform is now an enormous part of the world of streaming, that's a decent added incentive for signing up to PlayStation's service, on top of all the games you get immediate access to.

But none of this stacks up to what players are losing in the coming months. This year, Sony announced it would be ceasing production of discs for new games on PlayStation consoles come January 2028.

That includes PS5 and PS4. Their libraries are becoming all digital, and fans aren't happy, because such practice raises legitimate concerns over ownership. This has led to PlayStation's replies being lit up over demand for disced games.

"The only perk I want is discs," writes one fan. "Do the trials come on disc?" asks another, incredulously. "The only perk I need to enjoy is physical discs," adds a third.

Those are just the ones for this tweet. Similar replies follow every PlayStation tweet in recent weeks.

You get the point. This has become background radiation for Sony, and I don't see it dying down any time soon. The company will have accounted for pushback, but to what degree is another question. I'm not sure I see them rolling back the decision completely, but if enough people vote with their wallets in terms of cancelling PS Plus subscriptions and getting their games elsewhere, it may force some sort of change. Physical forever.

"No disc, no buy" protest and PlayStation boycott don't bother Sony, which reports increased playtime and record-high users for September.