Sony will soon be removing movies from PlayStation's video libraries.
The Verge reports that beginning next month, users in Germany and Austria who previously purchased titles from StudioCanal will no longer have access to them on PlayStation.
Some of the major movie titles from Studiocanal that will be pulled out will be movies such as The Hunger Games and Paddington.
The decision comes a year after Sony's PlayStation announced that it would discontinue the sale and rental of movies and television shows as of August 31, 2021.
The company cited the surge in popularity of streaming-video services as the reason.
In its announcement from last year, Sony told its customers that they could still watch the movies and TV shows they had bought in the past, which can be played through the PlayStation Store for on-demand play on PS4, PS5, and mobile devices.
However, things have come to an end.
PlayStation's Announcement
PlayStation informed customers in Germany and Austria that the StudioCanal content would soon be removed, and the company posted the relevant notices.
According to Variety, Sony stated, "As of August 31, 2022, due to our evolving licensing agreements with content providers, you will no longer be able to view your previously purchased Studio Canal content and it will be removed from your video library."
PlayStation's mission is to provide its users with the best possible entertainment experience, and part of that mission involves adapting their product lineup to meet the ever-evolving demands of their audience.
Apparently, Sony noticed the growing behavior of the market in subscribing to streaming platforms like Netflix, Disney+, Hulu, and more.
As a result of this change in customer behavior, the company has come to the conclusion that they will no longer be able to sell or rent movies or television shows through the PlayStation video game libraries.
The number of people using subscription-based and ad-based entertainment streaming services on PlayStation consoles has contributed significantly to the enormous growth of the consoles.
PlayStation and StudioCanal's Titles
Sony has 314 titles in Germany and 137 titles in Austria that are on the list of titles distributed by StudioCanal that will be removed.
The following movies are among those that have been affected: John Wick, Shaun the Sheep Movie, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, La La Land, Chicken Run, and many more.
It is unknown whether the PlayStation Store will provide customers with a refund for their purchases of movies that will no longer be available.
So far, Sony has not yet commented or provided further details regarding this matter. StudioCanal's representatives from both Austria and Germany also did not make any comment.
The Cons of Purchasing Titles Online
The extreme rise of streaming services over the past few years has definitely affected PlayStation's video libraries.
Numerous users around the world have flocked to these streaming services to seek different types of entertainment in different genres.
It also gained immense popularity during intensified lockdown as it has replaced the entertainment that can be provided by in real life cinemas.
The closure serves as an important and timely reminder that even if users buy a title digitally, their ownership of that title often still depends on a retailer continuing to exist and having the appropriate licensing deals in place.
Some users have gotten accustomed to buying titles in physical form, and in these types of scenarios wherein movies are pulled off of streaming platforms, having the physical copy is an advantage.
