PlayStation is removing access to over 1,300 seasons of Discovery TV shows from its store, even if purchased
Sony has announced that 1,318 separate seasons of Discovery TV shows will be removed from the PlayStation Store at the end of the year, with those who purchased the content losing access completely.
The details:
A "legal update notice" was posted to the official PlayStation website, informing users that they would no longer be able to view purchased Discovery content as of December 31 due to Sony's content licensing agreements with the company expiring, with the shows being removed from their video libraries.
The full list of 1,318 seasons can be found on the notice's page, but notable shows that have been pulled include MythBusters, An Idiot Abroad, American Chopper, Cake Boss, Deadliest Catch, Shark Week, and Street Outlaws.
The sudden announcement caused widespread outrage and sparked a debate about digital content ownership. When games are delisted due to license expiration, they usually remain downloadable, which many people expect to happen with other mediums purchased through the same storefronts.
Some argue that this should be illegal as neither company will likely offer any kind of refund. In contrast, others argue that "buying" content through a digital store is simply purchasing a license to view it and that it is technically entirely legal. Of course, many have pointed out that access could not have been pulled if the shows had been pirated, including YouTuber Louis Rossmann, who claims that distributors sometimes treat paying customers worse than those who obtain the same content illegally.
Unfortunately, this has happened before with the PlayStation Store, when the company removed hundreds of videos from German and Austrian users after its agreement with StudioCanal expired in 2022. Similarly to the current Discovery situation, those who had purchased the content could not access it in any form.
More PlayStation news:
Bungie has removed Destiny 2's $15 "starter pack" DLC after only one day due to player backlash. The pack included three weapons, some in-game cosmetics, and basic materials, which fans deemed a "rip-off" for the price.
Sony has announced a new partnership with NCSoft, the publisher of Guild Wars and Lineage, in which the two companies will work on future projects, one of which is believed to be a Horizon MMO.
