PlayStation owners who use the PlayStation Store to meet their movie and TV needs will find that feature snatched away from them in 2021.
PlayStation Store to Discontinue Movie and TV Content
According to a post on the PlayStation Blog, Sony has reached the decision to cease providing TV and movie rentals and purchases through the PlayStation Store.
The blog post states that Sony has "decided to no longer offer movie and TV purchases and rentals through PlayStation Store as of August 31, 2021."
So, there will be no more rentals or purchases as we head into September 2021.
Why Is Sony Discontinuing PS Store TV/Movie Rentals and Purchases?
According to the blog post:
At SIE, 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.
We have seen that subscription-based streaming services have become more popular in general, not just on consoles. Sony, though, seems quite invested in this model.
We know this as it is offering an extended trial period of Funimation, the popular anime streaming app, during the rekindled Play At Home scheme.
With this in mind, it makes sense that Sony is concentrating on providing space for subscription services, rather than curate its own content.
Will You Lose Your Purchased Movies or TV Series?
The answer is no. Here's what Sony says:
When this change takes effect, users can still access movie and TV content they have purchased through PlayStation Store for on-demand playback on their PS4, PS5 and mobile devices.
So you can still access the content you purchased.
What Will Replace PS Store TV and Movie Content?
Right now, Sony has said nothing specific, other than it is going to concentrate on ad- and subscription-based services. Funimation being one such streaming service.
In the meantime, you can sign up to try one of these streaming services to see what they offer. If you choose Funimation, remember to wait until the extended trial is available on Play At Home.