When Sony announced it would stop selling physical discs of PlayStation games, it sparked a debate over whether players actually own digital copies of the games they paid for. Sony reminds users that its ecosystem does not belong to them.
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In August, Sony began sending copies of its terms of service and other documents to PlayStation users. They contain part of the PlayStation End User License Agreement, which states that software on the platform is not sold, but licensed. It’s nothing new that most digital stores license content rather than sell it, but Sony’s email couldn’t have come at a worse time. These may be normal notifications following a purchase on the PlayStation Store, but they take on an especially urgent tone given Sony’s impending rejection of optical media.
From August 23 to 30, some ecosystem users are boycotting the PlayStation Store and PlayStation Plus services, but the effectiveness of this measure has not yet been evaluated. PlayStation owners apparently don’t have much chance to influence the manufacturer – the company has yet to make a final decision on how to respond to user outrage, but company management has stressed that plans have not changed. Additionally, Sony has begun cutting back on disc production as it firmly believes the future lies in digital formats. Even the EU authorities admit they are powerless in the matter.
Sales of digital versions have long outstripped sales of games on physical media, but recent events illustrate the latter’s superiority. Many console owners don’t want to lose the opportunity to transfer copies of games, sell and buy them – at a profit of up to 90%. Xbox may be following its rivals’ lead, but Nintendo intends to keep physical copies of its games around for the foreseeable future.
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