PS Store News: Sony to Scrap TV & Movie Rentals and Purchases
In a somewhat surprise move, Sony has set in motion plans to stop the sale of TV & movie rentals and purchases on the PS Store.
Now. If you happen to be like me, you may consider your PlayStation console not strictly a gaming device in the traditional sense. But rather, an accessible portal to a wealth of online entertainment.
Similar to how smart TV's and streaming services replaced standard terrestrial tele not long ago in many ways. Nowadays, the digital age is truly upon us.
And, as a knock-on effect, a slew of content exists merely seconds away from our fingertips.
Sometimes, no matter how great the game, we all need our fair share of rest bite. Perhaps that pursuit takes the form of kicking back to a gripping thriller. Or maybe even tuning into a light-hearted comedy.
Heck, why not an immersive sci-fi flick should the mood call for it? In short, the PS Store has always offered a plethora of viewing options to Sony Subscribers.
I Will Miss PS Store TV & Movies
Whatever your wants or needs when seeking out a source of media, the PS store has always had your back. Or at least, that has generally been the case for me. Moreover, the viewing options available have only got better and more varied with age.
Speaking from experience, as a regular user of the PS Store, the tally of times I have used the TV & movie rentals, and purchases service is too numerable to state off-hand. As is the case when searching for an obscure horror movie, not even Rotten Tomatoes know of, I almost always find something binge-worthy to suit my needs.
That is, until now. It's all about to change—sorry, Sony subscribers.
Sony To Nip PS Store TV & Movie Rentals and Purchases in the Bud
Taking to the PlayStation Blog, Vanessa Lee, Head of Video Business, SIE, recently confirmed Sony's plans to can the service, explaining the company's reasons behind the sudden shift in strategy.
"At SIE, we strive to provide the best entertainment experience for PlayStation fans, and that means evolving our offerings as customer needs change, Sony said via a PlayStation Blog post. "We've seen tremendous growth from PlayStation fans using subscription-based and ad-based entertainment streaming services on our consoles.
Outlining its proposal to further depart from TV movie rentals and purchases, Sony says the move is, in large part, due to a "shift in customer behavior."
As a result, players can no longer place "movie and TV purchases and rentals through PlayStation Store as of August 31st, 2021."
An Inevitable Conclusion | The Move to Streaming Services
In recent years, we've seen a meteoric rise in the popularity of streaming services. But also, we've borne witness to a change in the way we consume content.
Similar in some ways to how high-store chains closed rental stores like Blockbuster on our streets, digital storefronts are now entering another phase in our viewing evolution.
Ultimately, the trends appear to point towards platforms such as Netflix and Amazon prime, along with services like Youtube, as the future of entertainment.
All of which offer on-demand content, for, in the prior's case, a monthly fee. And in short, one-off purchases are great but perhaps don't offer the same value for money often associated with Netflix. For instance.
I still like the idea of renting films from the PS store. So, I'm sad to see it disappear. However, that may save me some pennies in the longterm.
Sony Thanks Its PS Store Users
Rounding off the PS Blog Post, Sony ensures its users that any purchases made before the deadline can be accessed through the PS store while thanking fans for their loyalty to the service:
"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," Sony said. "We thank our fans for their continued support, and we look forward to further enhancing the entertainment experience on PlayStation.
So, to sum up, users will be able to access previously purchased content from the PS store. That stands in effect beyond the cut-off point of August 31st.
That will be the case for both PS4 and PS5 owners. We understand.
PlayStation Store TV Movie Rentals & Purchases | Conclusion
In hindsight, perhaps it’s hardly surprising what has transpired here. Besides, Sony's actions in closing shut that side of the PS Store is likely tailored with our viewing trends in minds.
I expect Sony market strategists have been keeping abreast of the situation for some time. And maybe this move was the most commercially viable step on the table.
Who knows, for sure?
What we can say with a degree of assurance is that streaming services are only set to surge in future years. After all, their ease of use and diverse options on demand make them the perfect form of digital entertainment.
For me, I will miss the opportunity to hand-pick my movies from the PS Store. Right now, Netflix doesn't offer rentals as part of its service. So alternatively, I will now resort to Amazon Prime sub to catch recently released flicks.
And that works wonders for me. I just hope prices don't skyrocket as a result of less competition. Who knows? Maybe Sony will kickstart its very own version of a streaming service. Perhaps PS Now, but for movies, instead of games?
Just a thought. The good news is, the more competition there is, the better prices we'll see. So, get in on the game Sony!
That's it for today's topic. What do you make of Sony leaving behind the PS Store? Will it affect how you use any of Sony's services in the future? Or was this always going to happen at some stage?
As always, we love to hear your takes. So please fire them off down in the comments.
I look forward to hearing your side of the story.