If you thought the "Don’t Kill the Disc" campaign was just a loud, fleeting blip on the radar, think again. While that petition managed to scrape together 360,000 signatures, it clearly didn't move the needle for Sony’s higher-ups. Now, the battle is moving from social media threads into actual courtrooms. Mexican senator Luis Donaldo Colasio and federal representative Iraís Reyes have officially filed a formal complaint with Mexico’s National Antitrust Commission, challenging Sony’s looming 2028 ban on physical media.
Image credit: www.destructoid.com
Tenant Rights in a Digital World
The core of the argument here isn't just about the convenience of a shelf full of plastic cases; it’s about the fundamental erosion of ownership. Colasio didn't mince words on Instagram, pointing out that once Sony becomes the sole gatekeeper for PlayStation content, they control everything: the price, the terms, and the kill switch. "You pay the owner’s price," Colasio noted. "You’re given tenant rights."
It’s a grim reality that we’ve seen play out before—whether it's the 500 movies pulled from digital storefronts or the eventual sunsetting of the PS3 and PS Vita stores. Colasio is framing this as a consumer rights emergency, and frankly, it’s hard to argue with his logic. When the ability to resell, trade, or lend your games evaporates, you aren't a collector anymore; you're just renting software at the publisher’s whim.
Sony’s Cold Calculus
Don't expect Sony to back down anytime soon, though. CFO Lin Tao made it painfully clear during last week's earnings call that this decision wasn't a snap judgment. Sony has been "cautiously" plotting this transition for a long time, and the math is entirely on their side. According to Tao, the company isn't seeing any negative impact on their bottom line as this shift to digital continues to accelerate. Because they aren't losing money, they have zero incentive to pivot, no matter how many politicians or petitions line up against them.
For now, Colasio and Reyes are joining a small but growing cohort of international officials—like French presidential candidate Jean-Luc Mélenchon—who are actually willing to put pressure on the hardware giants. Whether this legal challenge in Mexico has the teeth to force Sony to blink is the real question, but for anyone who still values the ability to actually *own* what they buy, this is the only fight currently worth watching.
Original coverage: www.destructoid.com.
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