Sony has announced that it will remove all Discovery content from its PlayStation Store, which includes content purchased by its users. The very short announcement was made as a legal update notice and is followed by, according to VGC, what amounts to 1,300 seasons worth of material. The announcement does not include any offer of compensation for users who’ve purchased any of the listed shows, just that Sony’s licensing deal with Discovery is up, hence the removal. This unfortunately is becoming par for the course with Sony after it made a similar move last summer when it removed content from Studio Canal in Germany and Austria.
This latest move also continues the path outlined in 2021 when Sony said it would be discontinuing television and movie purchase options in the store due to the rise in popularity of streaming service use. Sony has said that Discovery content will no longer be available on the PlayStation Store as of December 31, 2023.
Per PlayStation:
“As of 31 December 2023, due to our content licensing arrangements with content providers, you will no longer be able to watch any of your previously purchased Discovery content and the content will be removed from your video library.
We sincerely thank you for your continued support.
Thank you,
PlayStation Store”
The removal of all Discovery content, including that which was purchased by users, signifies the risks in making digital purchases. Fine print EULAs and such often cover providers from having to provide compensation, or other options, to users who are out the money they paid for content but, per the agreements, never truly “owned” and lose access when a provider’s licensing agreement expires. Streaming service subscribers are used to shows and movies leaving various platforms but most would be surprised if they no longer had access to content they had purchased, which is what makes events like this more concerning.