Sony has announced that after August 2021, you will no longer be able to buy or rent movies or TV shows from the PlayStation Store. This represents another step in Sony's continued efforts to slim down the PS Store.
Let's look at why Sony is making this decision and what it means for you.
Why Is the PS Store Discontinuing Movies and TV Shows?
When Sony announced that the PS Store will no longer sell movies and TV shows starting later in 2021, it gave the following explanation:
We strive to provide the best entertainment experience for PlayStation fans, and that means evolving our offerings as customer needs change. We’ve seen tremendous growth from PlayStation fans using subscription-based and ad-based entertainment streaming services on our consoles.
This shouldn't be a surprise to anyone. Streaming services have become the default way to watch most entertainment these days. While you can still buy or rent digital movies from services like Amazon or Google Play, there are so many choices on Netflix, Hulu, and other services that most people don't bother.
After August 31, 2021, you can't buy or rent these kinds of media from the PS Store. However, you'll still be able to access anything you've purchased in the past. Given the frail nature of digital media, though, it's possible that Sony could cut off access to this content in the future.
A More Focused PlayStation Store
While the increased popularity of streaming services is the primary reason for this change, it also follows Sony's trend of trimming the fat on the PS Store.
Right before the PS5 launched in late 2020, Sony overhauled the web version of the PlayStation Store to remove PS3, PSP, and PS Vita content. It also hid non-game items like themes and avatars from the web Store; you have to access the PS Store on a specific device to find those items.
Years ago, Sony also revamped its Music Unlimited service so that it now uses Spotify. And Sony isn't the only company to do this; Microsoft shut down its Groove Music service in 2017 and transitioned its Groove Music Pass customers to Spotify. You can thus no longer purchase music downloads from the Microsoft Store.
Overall, it seems that companies like Sony are more interested in providing a hub to access many popular services, instead of trying to provide their own lackluster competitor. This makes sense, given that game consoles are a popular way to stream Netflix and other services.
One Less Place for Digital Movies
We don't imagine many people will be upset about losing movies and TV on the PS Store. You have plenty of other places to rent this content if you still want; otherwise, why not look into a streaming service that provides more value than buying or renting individual movies ever can.
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