Sony has informed its PlayStation customers in the United Kingdom that it will remove 551 films from their digital libraries from September, sparking outrage among users who have paid for the content. The move affects titles from distribution company StudioCanal, including popular films such as Paddington, Paddington 2, Pan's Labyrinth, Rambo 3, Terminator 2: Judgment Day, and The Boy in the Striped Pajamas.
Licensing agreements force content removal
In a legal notice, Sony stated that the removal is 'due to our content licensing agreements.' The Japanese company will scale down its digital store, affecting any titles UK users purchased from StudioCanal. This follows a similar action in 2022 when Sony removed 314 StudioCanal titles from libraries in Germany and Austria. The news was first reported by gaming outlet PlayStation LifeStyle.
The removal serves as a stark reminder that customers do not own the digital content they purchase, despite arguments that companies like Sony should offer refunds when removing paid-for content. Sony previously deleted users' Funimation digital libraries after merging the anime streaming service with Crunchyroll.
Potential for last-minute deal
It remains possible that Sony could reach a new agreement with StudioCanal by September 1 or later, which would allow users to retain access to the content. A similar situation occurred with Discovery, when Sony initially announced it would pull 1,318 seasons of shows from customers' libraries. Just weeks later, Sony updated its licensing arrangements and reversed the decision.
Metro has contacted Sony for comment. The company has not yet responded to inquiries about whether refunds or alternative arrangements will be offered to affected customers.
