PlayStation is facing mounting backlash over its decision to abandon physical game discs in favor of all-digital distribution, raising important questions about ownership.
The official announcement came last week. Starting in 2028, new PlayStation games will no longer be released on physical discs.
Also read: PlayStation killing game discs will have broader consequences
The decision has sparked outrage among gamers, with accusations of greed and claims that Sony is trying to establish a monopoly through the PlayStation Store as the sole distribution platform for console games, ultimately leading to higher prices.
PlayStation can delete your games
Anger intensified over the weekend after users pointed out that PlayStation's European terms of service allow the company to delete both your account and all purchased digital games after 3 years of inactivity – in other words, if you do not use your PlayStation for a few years.
PlayStation's European terms of service state:
- "21.2. If you have not used your Account for at least 36 months we may take steps to close it. In that case, we will contact you via the email address registered to your Account and give you 6 months to either log in to your Account or contact us and tell us to keep your Account open."
- "21.3. After your Account is closed, you will not be able to access the PlayStation Online Services or use the Digital Products purchased with that Account. Account closure is irreversible."
Whether PlayStation actually enforces this policy is another matter, but if you have purchased a game digitally through the PlayStation Store at any point over the last 15-20 years, you have accepted these terms. Sony retains the right to delete your account unless future EU legislation enforces consumer rights for digital ownership.
Also read: PlayStation erases 551 film titles from users' libraries – are games next?
Games sold on discs are also licensed products that can, in principle, be revoked. The key difference is that digital games can be withdrawn in practice, whereas a physical disc cannot, provided it contains the full game and does not require online activation or similar restrictions.
Also read: PlayStation to close PS3 and PS Vita game stores
It's not about GDPR
The same wording does not explicitly appear in PlayStation's US terms of service, leading some to conclude that it is tied to the EU's GDPR rules, which came into force in May 2018.
However, that does not hold up. Videocardz points out that PlayStation's account deletion policy dates back to at least 2009, when the inactivity period was 18 months. It was extended to 24 months in 2016 and to 36 months in 2019.
Microsoft has similar terms in its account policy, which also apply to Xbox, including in the US. The crucial difference is that Microsoft commits not to delete accounts that contain digital purchases such as Xbox games.
- Source: X, Videocardz
