Sony's plan to move PlayStation to a digital-only future sparked an online backlash, with major brands, gamers, and preservation advocates pushing back against the company's decision to ditch physical game discs.
On 1 July, the Senior Director of Sony Interactive Entertainment Content Communications, Sid Shuman, announced that, starting in January 2028, all new PlayStation games will be released only on digital formats. Sony said the change reflects evolving consumer habits. However, it wouldn't affect games that were released before that date.
Within hours, the announcement had ignited a flurry of jokes and criticism. Brands like KFC and Domino's were among the first to poke fun at the move, as gamers and preservationists questioned ownership and preservation of games for future generations.
Domino's Serves Up 'Digital Pizza'
Domino's Pizza UK delivered what many saw as the day's biggest roast, posting a parody of the 'official statement' on X that closely resembled Sony's announcement. The company wrote, 'In response to trends in the gaming industry, as of 1st April 2027, Domino's UK will cease production of physical pizzas and shift to production of digital pizzas only.'
BREAKING NEWS pic.twitter.com/i28QZd7Z2g
— Domino's Pizza UK (@Dominos_UK) July 2, 2026
It also added that companies could download 'pizza codes' and enjoy meals 'using the power of the imagination,' before joking that they would be changing their famous slogan from 'Domin-oh-hoo-hoo' to 'Domin-oh-hoo-whose-dumb-idea-was-this?'
The satire struck a chord, racking up more than 3.4 million views, nearly 200,000 likes, and 26,000 reposts. Domino's kept the banter going by telling one user that the pizza box should be digital, too, and that the toppings would be 'hologram and pineapple'.
KFC Offers Finger-Lickin' PNGs
Not wanting to be outdone, KFC Spain wasted no time adding its own satirical take on Sony's announcement. The brand joked that it would no longer sell physical chicken and that customers could only access its food 'through its app in fake PNG format.'
🚨ÚLTIMA HORA: KFC dejará de ofrecer su formato físico a partir de hoy.
— KFC (@KFC_ES) July 2, 2026
Sus productos solo se podrán consumir a través de su app en formato falso png. pic.twitter.com/7BBC2uqXHO
This came with a fake menu of transparent PNG chicken, downloadable sauce 'DLC', and urging people to 'pre-order the PNGs'. It wrapped the parody with a playful nod to the gaming culture: 'YOU WOULDN'T STEAL FRIED CHICKEN.'
These posts quickly gained traction, as users praised the brands for poking fun at Sony's digital-only strategy.
The Backlash Was About More Than the Jokes
The online roasts struck a nerve because they reflected the concerns a lot of gamers have already been voicing. Sony's announcement came just days after news that Grand Theft Auto VI confirmed that it would be launching without a physical disc, raising concerns that physical media is gradually disappearing.
Supporters claim that digital distribution provides greater convenience and also reflects how a lot of players already purchase games. Meanwhile, preservation advocates, such as the Video Game History Foundation, believe that digital releases not only make games difficult to preserve, leaving players vulnerable to losing access whenever servers shut down or licenses change.
For longtime gamers, the controversy is a bit ironic given that Sony once championed physical ownership in 2013, when it mocked Xbox One's restrictions in a viral advert, highlighting the simplicity of sharing physical games. Now, more than a decade later, it finds itself backing up the digital-first approach it once criticised.
