Sony is preparing to remove hundreds of Discovery titles from PlayStation libraries, spelling bad news for users who had purchased those videos. Due to content licensing agreements, the previously purchased Discovery content will be inaccessible and removed from video libraries December 31. This sudden move follows Sony’s decision to discontinue the sale of movies and tv shows on the PlayStation store in August, in favor of subscription and ad-based entertainment streaming services.
The rise of online streaming has transformed the entertainment landscape, allowing consumers access to vast content libraries for a modest monthly fee. Yet, this evolution has led to intense competition among streaming services, causing a flood of reality television content and negatively affecting platforms’ content rights for previous purchases.
One Reddit user lamented the impending loss of their purchased Discovery content and questioned whether there was any way to preserve it. This predicament isn’t new for PlayStation users, as the company had previously removed StudioCanal films due to licensing issues.
As a result of these actions, users are finding out that digital purchases may not be as permanent as they once thought, urging them to reconsider spending money on digital content platforms that are now subject to licensing constraints.