{"id":809800,"date":"2026-07-19T08:03:17","date_gmt":"2026-07-19T08:03:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/809800\/"},"modified":"2026-07-19T08:03:17","modified_gmt":"2026-07-19T08:03:17","slug":"sony-decision-to-stop-playstation-games-on-disc-consumer-rights-and-why-your-digital-games-movies-and-music-arent-actually-yours","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/809800\/","title":{"rendered":"Sony decision to stop PlayStation games on disc: Consumer rights and why your digital games, movies and music aren\u2019t actually yours"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"TimSave<\/p>\n

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From books and music to movies and video games, entertainment over the past 20 years has increasingly moved from physical media formats to digital files delivered over the internet.<\/p>\n

But while digital distribution is often more convenient, and certainly more popular in 2026, the removal of a physical option is bad news for consumers \u2013 and nothing is likely to be done about it.<\/p>\n

\"PlayStationPlayStation will drop discs and go all digital from January 2028.Tim Biggs<\/p>\n

Earlier this month, Sony announced that it would cease production of PlayStation discs<\/a> after next year. Video games on its platforms will be available only online after that. Yet as with movies and music, physical game discs are preferred by those who like to maintain a visible collection, who prefer not to be signing up for online accounts and subscriptions, who want to buy or sell used copies, or who worry that non-transferrable ephemeral licences will lock them out of their purchases in the future. Examples of this happening are already fairly frequent.<\/p>\n

Last week, an Xbox user in Europe took to social media to complain<\/a> that he had lost access to his entire digital library of games \u2013 which he said had cost him thousands of dollars to buy \u2013 after Microsoft effectively deleted his account following a hacker taking control of it. He was advised to start again and told that restoration was impossible, although Microsoft did eventually restore his purchases after the story went viral.<\/p>\n

In September, Sony will remove 551 movies<\/a> from users\u2019 digital libraries, even if they paid full price to buy them, due to its content licensing agreements with distributor StudioCanal. We\u2019ve also seen digital libraries wiped out<\/a> due to platform mergers, and individual titles removed<\/a> from purchasers after service or server shutdowns.<\/p>\n

It is extremely rare for any of these examples to include an offer of a refund or replacement. Because the purchaser never actually owned anything.<\/p>\n

Consumer law falls short<\/p>\n

Part of the problem is that many of the benefits we enjoy with physical media \u2013 the ability to hold it, sell it, keep it forever \u2013 are there purely by accident, in a legal sense.<\/p>\n

When you buy a book you are only buying a limited licence to the work, but if the publisher loses the rights to sell it (or actually never had the rights), it\u2019s incapable of finding the copy on your bookshelf and taking it from you. Amazon, though, can do exactly that<\/a> with an ebook. From a licensing perspective, digital is perfect.<\/p>\n

Sony\u2019s decision has caused an outcry and calls for boycotts from consumers, and even potential lawsuits in some countries. But even the mighty European Union has said it cannot regulate<\/a> to force the company to continue offering discs. And there\u2019s currently no law that requires digital goods sellers to match the qualities of physical goods by guaranteeing ongoing access, providing offline functionality or allowing sharing, on-selling, or moving them to a different platform.<\/p>\n

The best we can hope for is sellers stating transparently: yes, you are paying $130 for a licence<\/a> that may be revoked or diminished.<\/p>\n

\"NewNew PS5 games cost the same at physical and digital stores, but for the latter, Sony\u2019s terms of service and licensing agreement forbid reselling, and warn that account suspension could lead to loss of access to products.<\/p>\n

\u201cBusinesses should avoid the use of words like \u2018purchase\u2019 or \u2018buy\u2019 when in fact they are only supplying a licence to access a service,\u201d a spokesperson for the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission said, noting that such phrasing could be considered misleading under Australian law.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen goods or services are being offered under a licensing arrangement, businesses should be transparent and upfront prior to purchase,\u201d including informing customers that access may later be removed or changed, the spokesperson added.<\/p>\n

But if you pay full price for a game, movie or album on an online platform, are they goods? Or are you only getting them as part of a service? It\u2019s an important distinction as far as consumer protections go but has remained unclear for decades, says legal academic Benjamin Hayward.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve got this situation where there\u2019s no clear precedent from the courts, and we\u2019re probably not going to get that until \u2013 as we see with what\u2019s happening with Sony \u2013 the market starts to change and that leads to legal proceedings that actually need the courts to decide the issue,\u201d said Hayward, a senior lecturer at Monash University.<\/p>\n

Related Article\"The<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cWith a book, you\u2019ve got a physical object, and you might only have a licence to the intellectual property, but there are consumer rights that still attach to that physical object: if the pages are damaged, if the spine is damaged, if there are pages missing. The question will be, if we\u2019ve got a purely digital equivalent, whether those same consumer rights can apply.\u201d<\/p>\n

Either way, the reality of what happens to your media years after you bought it \u2013 because it remains tied to a tech giant\u2019s online platform \u2013 is unaccounted for under the law, and would require government action to address.<\/p>\n

The physical media fightback<\/p>\n

Of course, buyers know that buying physical products affords them more rights regardless of the legal definition, and they still choose digital in most cases. The point is, as long as both options exist, there\u2019s something of a balance. Old media that\u2019s been pulled from digital storefronts can still be found somewhere on tapes or paper, and people can look at the cost and benefits of each format and decide on a case-by-case basis.<\/p>\n

When it comes to movies and music, subscription streaming delivers the bulk of content to consumers. But people are increasingly also looking to own copies of important and meaningful content, and they\u2019re doing it through physical media rather than digital purchases.<\/p>\n

\"YoungerYounger generations have embraced physical media for music and movies.James Brickwood<\/p>\n

Sales of 4K Blu-ray discs have increased in volume and revenue in recent years in the US, the UK and Australia, as consumers become more wary about relying on streaming services that keep climbing in price, often don\u2019t provide maximum video quality and have begun injecting ads.<\/p>\n

Physical sales of recorded audio are climbing in Australia<\/a> too, despite at least 90 per cent of all paid music being delivered by streaming apps. Vinyl records make up the bulk of physical sales.<\/p>\n

George Poutakidis, founder and CEO of retailer Addicted To Audio, said younger generations were increasingly prioritising quality and meaningful experiences over quick, disposable purchases.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe streaming account stays as the daily utility, while the record purchase is a considered, meaningful spend,\u201d he said, adding that physical formats also come with artwork to display and admire, requiring physical touch to operate.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a more intentional, almost ceremonial experience, and people find genuine meaning in that.\u201d<\/p>\n

Not only is physical media more conducive to close, intentional enjoyment of a favourite piece of art, it can also help buyers feel better about the way they\u2019re supporting creators.<\/p>\n

\u201cA lot of younger buyers are acutely aware that streaming services pay artists fractions of a cent per stream, and buying a record is a tangible way to put money directly in the hands of a musician they love,\u201d Poutakidis said.<\/p>\n

The problem for video games<\/p>\n

Streaming exists for video games, but it costs more and is less accessible, requiring powerful cloud servers and extremely stable home internet, plus expensive subscriptions and\/or buying digital games outright. Whereas the large majority of movies and albums can be found on some subscription service or another, most video games can only be accessed by individual purchase, either physically or through an online store.<\/p>\n

Editor’s pick\"MSI<\/a><\/p>\n

For a long time, physical games have provided a less expensive option since they can be acquired second-hand. But they also give fans of certain genres, series, developers or games a way to connect with their purchases. And they provide something of a guarantee against companies revoking access, internet outages preventing play, or entire collections being rendered worthless if you decide to switch your platform of choice.<\/p>\n

Physical games are already more difficult to preserve than other media because they tend to require specific hardware and\/or software platforms to operate, not freely available tools like a record player. Still, a PlayStation disc from 30 years ago can still work in original hardware or an open-source emulator today.<\/p>\n

When there\u2019s no physical option any more \u2013 and by 2028, it appears that will be the case for PlayStation and Xbox, plus obviously PC and mobile \u2013 the media simply can\u2019t be preserved.<\/p>\n

If you want ongoing access you\u2019ll have to stick with the platform you bought it from, and keep your fingers crossed.<\/p>\n

Get news and reviews on technology, gadgets and gaming in our Technology newsletter every Friday. Sign up here.<\/a><\/p>\n

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\"TimTim Biggs<\/a> is a writer covering consumer technology, gadgets and video games.Connect via X<\/a> or email<\/a>.From our partners