Sony to remove over 500 movies bought on PlayStation Store as licence ends
Sony will delete more than 500 movies purchased on PlayStation Store as its licence deal with Studio Canal expires. Users lose access from September 2026.
English · Original discussion in Spanish · Published
Sony deletes over 500 movies bought on PlayStation Store: so much for digital ownership
Thousands of PlayStation users have received a notification that lays bare the digital business model: from 1 September 2026, Sony will remove more than 500 previously purchased titles from their video libraries, as the licensing agreement with Studio Canal expires. Among the affected films are classics such as Terminator 2, Apocalypse Now: The Final Cut, From Dusk Till Dawn and Train to Busan.
The fine print nobody reads
The official notice is terse: "due to our content licensing agreements, you will no longer be able to access content you previously purchased". Sony has published a list of the works that will disappear, and affected users receive a direct link. The backlash was swift: "Things you paid for and never owned", sums up a wave of opinion that sees this move as proof that buying digital is renting in perpetuity — for as long as the contract lasts.
What about physical media?
The debate has reignited the old dispute between physical and digital. While some insist "hard drive and problem solved", others point out that three years ago Xbox shut down its movie store with barely a stir. The irony is that the very people who celebrated the end of plastic are now discovering that their digital libraries depend on commercial agreements that expire.
At the time of writing, Sony has not confirmed whether it will offer refunds. The question hangs in the air: if you don't own what you buy, what exactly did you pay for?
Thousands of PlayStation users have received a notification that lays bare the digital business model: from 1 September 2026, Sony will remove more than 500 previously purchased titles from their video libraries, as the licensing agreement with Studio Canal expires. Among the affected films are classics such as Terminator 2, Apocalypse Now: The Final Cut, From Dusk Till Dawn and Train to Busan.
The fine print nobody reads
The official notice is terse: "due to our content licensing agreements, you will no longer be able to access content you previously purchased". Sony has published a list of the works that will disappear, and affected users receive a direct link. The backlash was swift: "Things you paid for and never owned", sums up a wave of opinion that sees this move as proof that buying digital is renting in perpetuity — for as long as the contract lasts.
What about physical media?
The debate has reignited the old dispute between physical and digital. While some insist "hard drive and problem solved", others point out that three years ago Xbox shut down its movie store with barely a stir. The irony is that the very people who celebrated the end of plastic are now discovering that their digital libraries depend on commercial agreements that expire.
At the time of writing, Sony has not confirmed whether it will offer refunds. The question hangs in the air: if you don't own what you buy, what exactly did you pay for?
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Summary of a discussion on Burbuja.info - Foro de economía, actualidad y política., translated from Spanish and reviewed before publication. Read the full discussion (17 replies).
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