Sony begins emailing PlayStation players: 'You don't own your games'

Sony is informing its PlayStation users via email about updated Terms of Service, which clarify the nature of digital game purchases. The company has been facing criticism, particularly after announcing plans to cease physical disc production by 2028, signaling a definitive shift towards digital-only game acquisition.

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When you purchase or download a Digital Product from the PlayStation Store, you purchase a personal license to use the Digital Products for your private use.

The updated terms explicitly state that when users purchase or download digital products from the PlayStation Store, they are acquiring a "personal license to use the Digital Products for your private use." This license is generally non-transferable, meaning users do not actually own the games they buy. The terms also warn that access to and use of digital products can be lost if the user deletes, closes, or if their account is suspended.

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Unless required by your applicable local law, your license to use Digital Games is non-transferable.

Furthermore, the terms address situations involving third-party publishers. If a digital product is published by a third party, users may need to link their PlayStation account to an account with that third party. If the connection to the third-party account is removed, or if the third-party account is closed or suspended, users could lose access to the digital product.

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you do not own the digital product.

This communication from Sony underscores a significant change in how game ownership is perceived in the digital age. While physical media offered a tangible sense of ownership, the move towards digital licenses implies that players are essentially renting access to games, contingent on the platform provider's terms and conditions.

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If you delete or close the 'account' with which you made the purchase, or if the account that made the purchase is suspended, you may also lose the right to access and use the digital product.