Owning Physical Copies Of Movies & Video Games Is Important

PlayStation users are the latest group of consumers to learn that buying physical copies of movies and video games is often smarter than going digital, as you own the product outright. Indeed, after the recent announcement that Sony will soon stop making physical discs for new PlayStation games, the company has just informed users that they are losing access to certain digital movies purchased through the PlayStation platform. Per Sony, the 551 affected titles include Hollywood hits like “Terminator 2” and “Inside Llewyn Davis,” as well as celebrated foreign-language releases and some legit cinematic classics.

The announcement came via a brief legal notice posted on PlayStation’s website, which says, “From September 1, 2026, due to our content licensing agreements, you will no longer be able to access your previously purchased content from Studio Canal, and it will be removed from your video library. Thank you, PlayStation Store.” Similar direct messages received by some PlayStation Store users also include the marketing tagline for Sony’s gadget-friendly gaming platform, which states, “Play Has No Limits.”

That is clearly not the case, though this decision may not have been purely financial for Sony, as the landscape of licensing agreements has become increasingly complicated in the streaming age. Nonetheless, frustrated PlayStation users have no clear way to keep the digital movies and TV shows they already paid for, or even receive a refund. Equally worrisome is that the move could signal similar actions eventually being taken with digital copies of licensed video games purchased through PlayStation.

This is hardly the first time a digital disruption has affected consumers, as studios continue to alter the digital landscape by either outright scrubbing content from platforms or not releasing physical copies of even popular films, TV shows, and video games. Such moves only reinforce the appeal of physical media, and many consumers are waking up to that reality.

To that end, you may soon see a run on physical copies of those Studio Canal titles, as well as PlayStation video games, as users seek to secure a forever copy for themselves. The irrefutable ownership claim is, understandably, the biggest draw of purchasing physical media. It’s also a big reason that physical media is making a bit of a comeback. Apart from ownership certainty, physical copies mean you won’t have to fret over internet connections, peak traffic times, or bandwidth requirements to enjoy your favorite content. Likewise, those physical copies may offer enhanced viewing and play features that aren’t always available through digital versions and streaming platforms. Plus, you don’t need to maintain any sort of subscription to access them.

There are, of course, drawbacks to physical media too, not the least of which is that it takes up physical space in your home. To that end, records, DVDs, books, and games can be a burden anytime you are moving house, and when they get damaged or inevitably degrade over time, they may need to be replaced. Ditto for the machines that play them, some of which are being phased out of the marketplace. Even still, those largely manageable drawbacks may be preferable given the current state of digital ownership.