PlayStation argues "reasonable consumers" already know they don't actually own their digital games - Eurogamer.net
As PlayStation's plan to scrap the production of game discs inches closer, Sony's lawyers are arguing that "reasonable consumers" already know that they don't own digital games. Sony said most "reasonable consumers would not be misled" by the company's disclosures. In the digital age, it is not plausible to allege that reasonable consumers believed they were obtaining 'ownership' of a digital game.
As PlayStation's plan to scrap the production of game discs inches closer, Sony's lawyers are arguing that "reasonable consumers" already know that they don't own digital games.
This comes in the middle of a class action lawsuit filed against Sony by four customers, who stated back in July that the PlayStation Store's disclosures don't do enough to comply with a certain 2025 California law around digital ownership. Companies are required to let customers know loud and clear that they're not owed access to a digital product forever, even if they've already paid for it, and the claimants feel Sony's not being obvious enough about how digital purchases don't mean digital ownership.
For context, the PlayStation Store does link to both the company's Terms Of Service and Software Product Licensing Agreement when you go to buy a digital game on the storefront. The part that states that "virtual content is licensed, not owned" comes several hundred words into the documents, however.
As reported by The Game File, Sony's legal team fired back in a filing from August 21. Sony said most "reasonable consumers would not be misled" by the company's disclosures.
The console maker goes one step further in its argument, alleging that anyone who partakes in digital purchases knows they don't truly own whatever it is they're paying for, because how could more than one person own Resident Evil Requiem otherwise?.
"This makes sense. In the digital age, it is not plausible to allege that reasonable consumers believed they were obtaining 'ownership' of a digital game. Were that the case, then Plaintiff Edward Heycock would not have been able to obtain the game Resident Evil Requiem on February 25, 2026 for $69.99 from the PlayStation Store after Plaintiff Jason Mendoza had obtained Resident Evil Requiem on 14th February, 2026, because Mr. Mendoza, not Sony, would have owned it then," the filing stated.
PlayStation's found itself in similarly controversial waters for months now. Earlier this summer, the publisher announced plans to stop manufacturing discs for new PlayStation games by January, 2028. The news went over about as well as you can imagine.