Sony Pulls Discovery Videos PlayStation Users Already Own, Sparking Concern Over Our Digital Future

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Sony has signalled its intention to pull some PlayStation content even from those who bought it, sparking concern from customers.

In a brief notice on the PlayStation website, Sony said it planned to remove hundreds of Discovery films from users’ video libraries, preventing them from watching the content they’d paid money for. Sony explained the decision as being due to “content licensing arrangements with content providers”.

Here’s the statement in full:

As of 31 December 2023, due to our content licensing arrangements with content providers, you will no longer be able to watch any of your previously purchased Discovery content and the content will be removed from your video library.We sincerely thank you for your continued support.Thank you,PlayStation Store

There follows a long list of affected video content, which includes over 1,000 seasons of shows, including Through the Wormhole with Morgan Freeman, Tanked, MythBusters, and An Idiot Abroad.

The decision has sparked a backlash online, and fuelled concern around ownership of digital media. Video game preservation is a hot topic within the industry, but the issue of content removal from digital platforms is top of mind of movie and TV makers, too. Last month, Oscar-winning filmmaker Guillermo del Toro backed Oppenheimer director Christopher Nolan in championing physical media amid controversial moves by streamers that have seen some films pulled from availability.

Redditor skatern8r said they would never lose the Discovery shows they had paid for. “I just received an email from PS about how the end of the year due to licensing arrangements I will no longer be able to watch any of my previously purchased Discovery content,” skatern8r said. “Is there a way I can save this content? I use PS4… But I have bought many seasons of shows such as Dual Survival that I do not wish to lose. I was actually under the impression since I owned it, I wouldnt ever lose it…”

There is currently no way to back up purchased PlayStation Store video content from a PlayStation 4 or PlayStation 5. They cannot be transferred to a disc by any means.

Here’s some more reaction:

Tell us again how having internet helps you in cases like this. #PlayStationDiscovery content will be gone by the end of the year due to licensing arrangements expiring. pic.twitter.com/Da4vSzsRc9

— Does it play? (@DoesItPlay1) December 1, 2023

@Sony, @PlayStation/@AskPlayStation, @Discovery, I’m expecting a FULL refund for all my purchases immediately.

I PURCHASED all these TV shows on YOUR platform and you’re all removing MY purchased content.@FTC @linakhanFTC @bbb_us#PlayStation #PS5 #FTC #Discovery pic.twitter.com/AkcZDTRdNb

— PepsiManX360 🇺🇸 🇵🇷 🇪🇨 🦅🗽 (@PepsiManX360) December 2, 2023

Wild. If you “purchased” any of these titles via Playstation, they are going to disappear soon and too bad for you.

Buying digital media is simply renting with an open-ended expiration date. They can and will take it from you if they feel like it.https://t.co/t40XxwElUM

— DrewMcWeeny (@DrewMcWeeny) December 3, 2023

If I only played PlayStation, I’d be really concerned about an all digital future, this is bad and it’s crazy no one is talking about it pic.twitter.com/gEOV8oQnnY

— Roadhammer Darktide (@roadhouse2100) December 1, 2023

Gamers are starting to receive this email from #PlayStation telling them that all content on the #Discovery streaming service will be removed on December 31, 2023, EVEN that which was purchased directly by users.

Absolutely, shameful this should change our minds about digital! pic.twitter.com/9MDiu1xaKq

— THOMAS (@x_gamer_kid) December 3, 2023

PlayStation announced that individuals who purchased Discovery content through their platform will have their purchased content removed December 31st, 2023

This is why internet piracy is alive and well. pic.twitter.com/87bcqZwHWR

— vx-underground (@vxunderground) December 2, 2023

The removal of @Discovery content that people purchased, on the @PlayStation store, is pathetic. If you pay for a product and it is removed where you can not access it, they should give you a refund. (Being banned is another story) Shame on Discovery and PlayStation for this.

— John Price – AwashFern2 XBox Gamertag (@JPrice02) December 3, 2023

Oh wow. @PlayStation is going to be in for a class action lawsuit over the Discovery stuff. Removing purchased content after purchase is theft. These kind of actions only validate piracy.

— Jared (@JaredWyns) December 2, 2023

I love how thanks to the discovery stuff with PlayStation people have finally realised that unless you own it physically or have a drm free downloaded copy you own nothing today. You just own the license to play that media and it can be revoked at any time.

— Buster | The Central Scrutinizer 🔜 CFz (@BusterFurry) December 3, 2023

Looks like that thing you might have always been worried about is finally happening. People are losing access to movies and shows they bought digitally through PlayStation. Guess you were renting that movie this whole time.#playstation #sony #discovery #warnerbros pic.twitter.com/ZVkLJWjaxt

— Things N Such (@ThingsNSuch_LB) December 3, 2023

Last year, Warner Bros. was criticised for pulling six HBO Max original movies from the prestige streaming service they were created for. Warner Bros also made the shocking decision last year to not release Batgirl either in theaters or on streaming, even after the Leslie Grace-starring DC film had completed filming. Animated movie Scoob! Holiday Haunt was also scrapped, with Warner Bros. taking tax write-downs on both.

The situation with the Discovery content is different, however, because it relates to individual films users have bought outright, rather than made available as part of a subscription. It’s also different from the typical case with delisted video games, which remain available to play and download to those who own them. In its statement, Sony does not offer a refund or apologise for the decision. IGN has asked Sony for comment.

Sony has form when it comes to pulling content PlayStation users already own. Last year, Sony removed purchased Studio Canal content from PlayStation users in Germany and Austria due to “evolving licensing agreements with its content providers,” leaving users unable to view purchased content in their library.

It’s worth noting that when Sony stopped selling TV shows and movies from the PlayStation Store in 2021, it said users would still be able to access existing purchases.

“At SIE, we strive to provide the best entertainment experience for PlayStation fans, and that means evolving our offerings as customer needs change,” Vanessa Lee, Head of Video Business, SIE, said at the time.

“We’ve seen tremendous growth from PlayStation fans using subscription-based and ad-based entertainment streaming services on our consoles. With this shift in customer behaviour, we have decided to no longer offer movie and TV purchases and rentals through PlayStation Store as of August 31, 2021.

“When this change takes effect, users can still access movie and TV content they have purchased through PlayStation Store for on-demand playback on their PS4, PS5 and mobile devices. We thank our fans for their continued support, and we look forward to further enhancing the entertainment experience on PlayStation.”

Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.