Sony Lands in Hall of Shame Over Rejection of Game Discs

Australian consumer advocacy group Choice has criticized Sony for using the word “buy” in the PlayStation Store when customers receive a license that the company can revoke.

Sony received a Shonky Award from Choice over restrictions on digital purchases, the move away from physical media, and the lack of full ownership rights to purchased content.

Choice has monitored companies since 1959 and presents Shonky Awards to providers of goods and services that draw particular consumer complaints. In PlayStation’s case, the organization noted that people who buy games and movies from the PlayStation Store receive a license to use the content rather than owning it. Sony repeatedly uses the word “purchase” during checkout, Choice said, creating the impression that customers are buying the product permanently.

Choice also objected to Sony’s decisions affecting digital libraries. In June, Sony announced the end of its licensing agreement with StudioCanal, which meant more than 500 movies were due to disappear from stores in the UK and Europe, including titles users had previously purchased. Choice also recalled plans to close the PS3 and PS Vita digital stores and stop producing game discs starting in 2028.

The issue is not limited to Sony. Similar licensing rules apply on other platforms, including Steam. Choice, however, singled out PlayStation’s actions in 2026. The organization argued that a complete shift to digital distribution would make players more dependent on store owners: a PSN outage, loss of account access, or a revoked license could leave them without games they paid for.

Source: iXBT.games