Sony sends PlayStation users a reminder they don't own their digital games just as a fan boycott over ending discs kicks off

PlayStation users have received an unprompted reminder of exactly what they do and don't own on the platform, days before a planned boycott over Sony's decision to end new PlayStation discs from 2028.

"You recently accepted the following PlayStation terms (the "Terms"): PlayStation Terms of Service, PlayStation Code of Conduct, PlayStation End User License Agreement, PlayStation Privacy Policy," reads an email posted to Reddit on 18th August (thanks, Kotaku).

"For your convenience and future reference, we have included full copies of the Terms in this email. Please retain this email for your records."

Several recipients said they'd received the email despite not touching their PS4 or PS5 in months. Rather than linking out to the full terms, the email reproduced each referenced document in full, including the section of the Software EULA covering digital purchases.

"The Software is licensed to you, not sold," it reads. "You are granted a limited, non-exclusive, non-transferable, and personal license to play or use the Software for your private, non-commercial use on the system or device it was intended for." The terms go on to restrict things like renting, modifying, or obtaining games through unauthorised means.

The email comes just as an attempted PlayStation boycott gets underway. Organised by fan group DoesItPlay, the #PSBlackout campaign runs from 23rd to 30th August and asks participants to log off, avoid purchases, and cancel subscriptions in protest at Sony's move away from physical media.

Sony was asked about its decision to kill off physical media in PlayStation's latest earnings call. The company, which announced that it will be ending the production and sale of discs for PlayStation games in early 2028, reaffirmed its stance on the matter, but noted that it understands why people have such strong feelings about the situation.

"There are various reasons we made this decision, the biggest being that the digitalisation of content overall has been progressing, that's the big factor," Sony chief financial officer Lin Tao said during a Q&A. "It's not just for PlayStation, but for all kinds of content; digitalisation is progressing."