Sony Reminds PlayStation Users 2028 Digital Games Are Licensed, Not Owned, as Blackout Protest Nears
Updated
Updated · Kotaku · Aug 22
Sony Reminds PlayStation Users 2028 Digital Games Are Licensed, Not Owned, as Blackout Protest Nears
3 articles · Updated · Kotaku · Aug 22
Summary
August 18 emails from Sony resurfaced this week after PlayStation users received full terms-of-service copies stating digital software is “licensed to you, not sold,” baffling some who said they had not used PS4 or PS5 for months.
Section 1.4 of the European software EULA says the license is limited, non-exclusive, non-transferable and personal, and bars actions such as renting, leasing, modifying or obtaining games outside Sony’s authorized channels.
That language hit a nerve because Sony has already said it will end new PlayStation discs in January 2028 and does not plan to reverse the move despite sustained online backlash.
August 23-30 organizers of a #PSBlackout campaign are urging players to log off, avoid purchases and cancel subscriptions, arguing a digital-only future without stronger ownership and consumer protections is unacceptable.