Sony reminded players that they do not own digital games

PlayStation account holders received an unexpected email containing the full text of the platform's user agreements, spelling out that purchased digital games remain a license rather than something you actually own. The mailing landed right as a protest campaign against Sony's move away from discs was kicking off:

You recently accepted the following PlayStation terms (the "Terms"): PlayStation Terms of Service, PlayStation Code of Conduct, PlayStation End User License Agreement, PlayStation Privacy Policy. For your convenience and future reference, we have included full copies of the Terms in this email. Please retain this email for your records.

What stood out was the format of the email itself. Rather than linking out to the documents, Sony reproduced each one in full within the message, including the section of the license agreement covering digital purchases.

That particular section is what caught people's attention. The wording in the EULA is blunt:

The Software is licensed to you, not sold. You are granted a limited, non-exclusive, non-transferable, and personal license to play or use the Software for your private, non-commercial use on the system or device it was intended for.

The document goes on to list restrictions, including bans on renting out games, modifying files, and obtaining content through unauthorized channels. None of this is unusual for the industry, but the timing of the mass email couldn't have been worse.

Some recipients pointed out that the email arrived even for people who hadn't turned on a PS4 or PS5 in months. Sony hasn't explained why the mailing went out when it did.

At the same time, the #PSBlackout campaign got underway, organized by fan group DoesItPlay. The action runs from 23rd to 30th August and asks participants to log off, avoid purchases in the digital store, and cancel active subscriptions. It's not entirely clear why that matters much for people who haven't bought anything on disc in a long time anyway.

The protest was sparked by Sony decision to stop producing and selling PlayStation game discs starting in early 2028. The fate of physical media had already come up during the company's latest earnings call with investors.

Sony reaffirmed its stance there, while acknowledging the emotional reaction from fans.

Sony chief financial officer Lin Tao said:

There are various reasons we made this decision, the biggest being that the digitalisation of content overall has been progressing, that's the big factor. It's not just for PlayStation, but for all kinds of content; digitalisation is progressing.

After 2028, discs will only exist for those who built up a physical library ahead of time. Everything else will be available strictly under license, terms of which Sony just made sure to remind every account holder about personally.

Worth noting that this kind of licensing setup runs on virtually every digital storefront out there, Steam included.