Sony’s decision to cease production of physical PlayStation game discs by January 2028 has sparked controversy in the gaming world. The hacker group Anonymous, in a statement regarding this development, argued that digital games do not offer users true ownership rights.

In a statement shared via the X platform, the group stated that the era of owning games has come to an end. Anonymous, noting that the removal of physical games will cause significant loss of rights for players, reminding that discs can be played without an internet connection or account requirements.

Digital games are merely licenses

Anonymous emphasized that if Sony completely switches to a digital distribution model, users will only acquire a usage license instead of purchasing games. It was stated that terms like “buy” or “own” in the company’s software usage agreements do not mean that ownership of the work passes to the user.

The group, drawing attention to the contract clauses, reminding users that access to content may be cut off and copies must be deleted if the user account or license expires. Anonymous cited Ubisoft’s The Crew game as an example, linking the game becoming inaccessible due to online servers shutting down to the risks of the digital licensing model.

Digital Content Ownership Discussions

While expressing their concerns about digital game ownership, the group also mentioned a new regulation enacted in California, USA. This law requires digital stores to clearly state that they are granting consumers only a license to use the content they purchase, not ownership.

Anonymous added that with the loss of physical media, games will no longer be able to be sold secondhand or lent out. The group stated that even games removed from digital stores can still be played on physical discs, arguing that this creates a critical difference in terms of player rights.

It is stated that the discontinuation of physical game discs will restrict players’ ability to collect and store games in the long term. In response to Sony’s decision, discussions about the future of digital games and user rights are expected to intensify in the coming period.

Do you think the complete removal of physical game discs is a great loss for players, or is digitalization an inevitable process?