PlayStation Store removes purchased movies from libraries after service shutdown

Screenshot: Paddington

Users who paid for titles such as Paddington and The Hunger Games will no longer be able to watch them because of Sony's decision to remove access to hundreds of movies and TV shows from its store. Users in Germany and Austria are affected by the shutdown, according to legal notices on the regional sites.

Exactly one year after Sony stopped selling movies and TV shows in its digital store, it will shut it down on August 31st. Customers will be able to access previously purchased content, according to Sony. Notices on the website say that the change is due toevolving license agreements with content providers and that purchased content will be removed from customers' video libraries.

The change affects more than 300 titles in Germany and Austria. Chicken Run, JohnWick, La La Land, and Saw are some of the titles that have been affected. Refunds may not be offered to affected customers.

It is rare to see TV shows and films disappear from services that allow you to own them digitally. When Pocket- Lint was shut down, it was reported that some titles weren't compatible with the migration process that was supposed to allow UK customers to continue to have access to them. In the past, Apple has been challenged over its use of the word "buy" for digital titles.

The shutdown serves as a reminder that even when you buy a title online, your ownership is dependent on the retailer and licensing deals in place. Physical purchases are still the best way to guarantee ownership.