After announcing Discovery content would be removed from the PlayStation Store following the expiration of a licensing arrangement, PlayStation has reversed course, revealing this content will now remain for “at least the next 30 months.”
Originally, the content – which includes seasons of Man vs. Wild, American Chopper, and MythBusters – was set to be removed with no refunds provided, but a solution has now been found.
“Similar to other services, we do not own the licensing rights to TV/movie content that was previously available for purchase on PlayStation Store,” PlayStation said in a new update, per GamesIndustry.biz. “However, we’ve worked with Warner Bros to update our licensing agreements, ensuring that consumers will be able to access their previously purchased content for at least the next 30 months.”
Those who have purchase Discovery content will now have additional time to enjoy it – although it’s unclear what happens after that 30 month period.
This story has been updated since its initial publication. The original article, first posted on 5 December 2023, continues in amended form below.
In the latest reminder of the impermanence of digital content purchases, Sony has announced the removal of around 1,300 seasons of Discovery-owned television from the PlayStation Store. Not only will these titles depart the platform on 31 December 2023, they will also be rendered unplayable for all users on that date, regardless of money spent.
That includes seasons of MythBusters, Man vs. Wild, American Chopper, Cake Boss, Deadliest Catch, How It’s Made, Miami Ink, Naked and Afraid, Say Yes To The Dress, and Toddlers & Tiaras.
Typically, when a user purchases digital content – a game, an album, a television show, or a film – they don’t actually “own it” in the traditional sense. Rather, they purchase “access” to the content for as long as it’s available. While some licensing arrangements mean users can maintain access to certain content (usually games) once they’re no longer available for sale, typically, access is removed entirely on license expiry, with no impetus for companies to offer a refund or other resolution.
That appears to be the case with the cuts to Discovery content, as some PlayStation Store users are now receiving service emails detailing the changes to their purchased content.
Read: PlayStation Store removes StudioCanal movies, no refunds offered
“As of December 31, 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,” the message reads, per Forbes.
What follows is a list of impacted titles, and a thanks for continued support of the PlayStation Store. It very much follows the template laid out by the earlier removal of StudioCanal movies from the digital storefront.
The news also follows a recent push by Sony into digital film distribution. As recently announced, PlayStation Plus subscribers now have access to a library of Sony movies, as well as new perks for purchasing digital content from Sony.
While it’s less likely that the company’s own movies will be removed in future, the removal of Discovery and StudioCanal content should encourage more caution from buyers. Digital purchases may seem convenient but in the end, they are only a license to access particular content – and this content may be removed at any time, for any reason.
