PlayStation Store to discontinue movie and TV purchases and rentals

Details on upcoming changes to on-demand purchases.

[VenomUK]

I rarely buy digital movies, but if I do I get them from the Apple store because of its financial stability I believe it has the best chance of being around the longest.

Sony is doing this because it has seen in a shift from rental and purchasing of content to the use of subscription TV. What with the news that Paramount has jumped into the streaming game I wonder if Sony will do the same to offer its Columbia movies and TV.

[CaptainHenry916]

A lot of changes going on with Sony at the moment. First they closed and discontinued Japan Studio's and don't wanna support Japan games anymore and now this 🤔 not to mention Jim Ryan has been lying a lot lately. A few games have been delayed until 2022. Removing features doesn't enhance the experience 😁

[ShadowWolf712]

Japan studio wasn't closed.

[gravedigger]

It makes sense to remove it because in January Sony announced their own streaming service for TV's ( maybe in near future under PS+ or PS Now on PS5)

"Sony is launching a streaming service exclusive to its high-end Bravia TVs"

Sony is bundling its new Bravia Core streaming service into purchases of 2021 Bravia XR TVs. The service streams at up to 80Mbps and lossless 4K UHD resolution, provided you've got the bandwidth to support it.

https://www.gamesradar.com/...

[S2Killinit]

Okaaay that was a blatantly trollish comment. Who told you this insider information that they “dont wanna support Japan games”? Please give me some stock market advise.

On topic
Sony is already in the streaming business in a major way via making a huge splash in animation development, publishing, and streaming via crunchyroll and Funimation. The recent years have shown a marked rise in interest in anime in the entire world including the West. This is why Netflix has also become a major player and invested heavily in new original anime. Sony looks to be the dominant player in that movement if recent articles are any indication.

[Class_Viceroy]

What are you talking about? Their Japan studio made games like Knack and nothing they made was profitable. And sometimes they helped out on other projects. Just because Sony is a Japanese company doesn’t instantly mean that studio is important lol. And that has nothing to do with Japanese games

[fr0sty]

The profitable franchise they did have, Astrobot, they kept, as they spun that studio off from Japan Studio.

[RedDevils]

So why are you here trolling Henry, got nothing to play on the XSX?

[InUrFoxHole]

I see we want to argue Sonys support for Japan studios but don't want to address Jim Ryan lying...

[gamer7804]

Hah not this at all. It’s something the want to cut so they don’t have to put resources in to it when there are llots of other options , they never even supported movie’s anywhere. Nothing to do with streaming sub services.

[TheEroica]

Don Mattrick, Er I mean, Jim Ryan is nailing it for Sony!

[uth11]

Sony had a TV streaming service and dropped that too

[Hitman007]

Sony 💩

[Nodoze]

No - Jim Ryan = Sh1t not Sony.

Jim Ryan is the problem.

[JackBNimble]

Well as they say " shit rolls down hill " and if they guy at the top is shit ...

[Saranya]

Because he brought PS games on PC?

[nRicosS]

You shit

[frostypants]

As if many people buy movies off PSN anyway. They're ditching it because that's not happening. Too many other options out there.

[Amplitude]

I literally forgot this was even a thing you could do lol

[SullysCigar]

Same lol

Just glad to see the focus on games, like the good ol' days! Not like we don't have dozens of other options for TV, TV, TV, etc.

[RaidenBlack]

Also the new browser-based PS store? Which they overhauled last year.
Its still a pain to use. Barebones, no basic features like filter or sorting. I really liked the previous web store.
It was old but it was intuitive and was very user-friendly.
I prefer to use browser-based stores than the one on consoles and Sony needs to enhance their one.
Its just a rows and columns of large thumbnails, which looks better than before but needs more basic features.

[Amplitude]

@RaidenBlack:

I don't agree or disagree but, that doesn't really have anything to do with this at all lol ¯\_ (ツ)_/¯

[Gameseeker_Frampt]

How exactly could you forget you could buy movies/TV shows when it is advertised every time you open the PlayStation store?

Do fanboys always have to downplay everything in order to cope with changes that are not positive?

[Amplitude]

@Gameseeker:

My dude I assure you I'm not a fanboy. I mostly play on PC. I just use the PS for exclusives.
And anyway, you're wrong - It isn't advertised bloody anywhere. I literally can't find it on the PS5 store or home screen. I don't recall ever seeing it on the webstore either. I think there's a section for it in the Video section on ps4 but (I might be wrong about this and I have no intention of setting up the ps4 to check) I don't remember ever seeing movies on the normal Game store any time in the past few years. If it's there it's hardly a super advertised feature man lol

Anyway I'm not happy it's gone - not sure where you got that from either. I literally have purchased video content. I mean I'm not crying over the fact that I lost a couple old seasons of South Park and The Tester but I'm definitely not throwing a party over it.

Anyway, this is another stark reminder that physical media is significantly better than digital since your content can't be taken away from you forever at any moment. And even if Sony doesn't take away the content, it *will* get forgotten about as any of the few customers who once "purchased" digital movies from the PS Store begin anew on another service and eventually it'll fade away.

[Macosan22]

I was going to say the same thing. I knew even before reading the comments that it would just be downplayed as a way for Sony to focus on games. You can't see it......then why do I see it every single time I use my PS4. Sony does not wrong on this site though.

[Seraphim]

yeah, upon further examination..... PS5 doesn't have even movies/video on the storefront. At least I can't seem to find it. There is the PS 'My Videos' app you can still use to view purchased video.

Personally I think it's a bit of a bummer. I don't rent movies and don't buy many either but Sony often had some great deals on some anime. Despite having Funimation I've went ahead and bought a bunch of them anyway along with a couple anime movies and Into the Spiderverse when it was on sale. While most of my limited time is spent streaming Funimation or even Netflix, rarely if ever Amazon the option and pricing/sales on the PS store are going to be missed. Though I admit, it'll hardly be missed in the foreseeable future. However having additional abilities, functions, options is never a bad thing.

[sourOG]

I like how try to spin removing features as “further enhancing your experience” lol. I don’t care as I don’t buy movies on PlayStation and I could see why they are removing it if it’s become obsolete but just they way they phrase it is pretty hilarious. Like we’re supposed to be grateful.

[ManMarmalade]

Its a console. At the end of the day it is meant to play games. Also there are too many streaming services or websites to watch things for free.

[MadLad]

A good part of the reason the PS2 blew up the way it did, at least in the first few years, was because it played DVDs, and was cheaper than most DVD players at the time, despite also being a console.

[sourOG]

Where did I mention any of that? Did you reply to the the wrong person? I’m laughing at them phrasing the removal of features as an “enhancement”.

[Gameseeker_Frampt]

@ManMarmalade

"Its a console. At the end of the day it is meant to play games."

https://www.youtube.com/wat...

[CaptainHenry916]

Lol 😆

[Silly gameAr]

No need to act and sound so dramatic. We don't know what they are planning to do, so there's no reason for the torches and pitchforks yet.

[sourOG]

Dramatic would be your reaction to my post. No torch, I literally said I don’t care, I think it’s funny. The Sony defensive line is something else lol.

Every response I’m addressing is shit I didn’t even say. It’s like y’all make shit up in your mind just to argue or you read innocent comments as hostile. It’s weird brah.

[Silly gameAr]

@sourOG

Ok. Chill out. It seemed dramatic to me. Talking about taking features away, and acting like they tell you to love it, when you don't even know what they have planned is pretty "woe is me" to me.

No need to make shit up when your comment pretty much tells everyone how you feel.

[ManMarmalade]

@sourOG
Why so sour? I was only adding to your statement.

[sourOG]

It’s kinda weird to respond to a comment with a random addition that has nothing to do with the original post is it not? Why not just make a new comment?

[ManMarmalade]

@sour
Not a random addition as it has everything to do with your comment. Sony realizes they aren't competition to streaming services like hulu or netflix. They're taking it down because they're not making enough revenue in it more than likely. It's also kinda weird that you don't even realize this. Why not just put 1 and 1 together? Why are you so sour?

[sourOG]

I’m just a sour OG I guess lol. Nah, let’s break this down. It has everything to do with my comment.

1. I like how try to spin removing features as “further enhancing your experience” lol.

2. I don’t care as I don’t buy movies on PlayStation and I could see why they are removing it if it’s become obsolete

3. just the way they phrase it is pretty hilarious. Like we’re supposed to be grateful.

Where did I say anything that has to do with Sony making a bad move? It’s weird that you would get that from what I said. Which number effected this triggering the most? I’m honestly curious. Not that sony axed the service, I understand why they axed the service. I’m asking why you are so butthurt about what I said when it has nothing to do with what you are saying.

[ManMarmalade]

@sour
I never told you it was a bad move. Why are you putting words into my comments?
Edit: i was agreeing with you with my first comment btw. Re-read

[sourOG]

Lmao are you illiterate or what? I’m over it. Yes you are right have a nice day.

[ManMarmalade]

@gameseeker
i want you to tell me who is specifically buying a gaming console to watch movies and t.v. shows.

[sourOG]

I don’t care bro. Let it go.

Me: the sky is blue
You: yeah the grass is green
Me: ....okay?
You: why don’t you think the grass is green?

That’s the way this dumb conversation played out.

[ManMarmalade]

@sour you kinda disagreed with me in the first place soooo...

[RazzerRedux]

I'm guessing smart TVs and devices like Apple TV, Roku, Chromecast are probably a big reason for this. For me, the TV/device apps are just more convenient for watching a movie than firing up a console. I don't even watch Netflix on consoles.

[Gaming4Life1981]

This is not a big deal but i actually use it but like you said i have so many streaming apps on consoles and other devices. I use all of my streaming apps on everything just for convenience.

[RedDevils]

For me Emby/Plex + Sonarr and Radarr, completed every I need to watch.

[DivineHand125]

It's surprising to learn this is happening since the playstation is a media device as well as a gaming console but it won't harm most users as we weren't really using this feature. I just hope they can add a better media player that support multiple codexes and offer a casting option sometime in the near future.

[Limitedtimestruggle]

I never even considered using these services. Won’t be missed on my part.

[drunkenspy007]

I'm fine with this, so many other services offer similar and I only use my gaming systems for games.

[Magatsuhi]

Nuuuuuuuuu

[Blaze929]

Hmm, strange. I imagine it costs them otherwise why take away an option? I still rent movies from the Xbox Marketplace. Last time I purchased a TV event on PlayStation was for the Mike Tyson event.

[aaronaton]

Well its a conflict of interest seeing though they are about to release 'Bravia Core'. Which is a the 1st and only streaming service to provide content almost indistinguishable from UHD Blu-rays. Lets not talk about facts and reality though.

[Stanjara]

Streaming, or on demand stuff, or gamepass stuff really depends on subscribers and lots of them.
Bravia core is exclusive to new bravia owners. With so much competition in tv marker a small group of people will pay for that stuff, so I don't see it as a long term service.
Also, who has gigabit internet?
Even smaller numbers, for that blu-ray bit rate stream.
Why did stadia killed their first party studios? Not enough subs dude.

[Yppupdam]

I don't mind having the apps for different streaming services but the movie and tv store is a waste of time, even when I have gotten promotions for a free movie I never bothered to use them, on that though, I do feel bad for the people that actually use the service losing the resource.

[TheColbertinator]

Any replacement?

[RazzerRedux]

Just realized this only applies to Sony's store. The other apps on the site are not going anywhere.

Amazon Prime app
Apple TV app
YouTube Movies/TV app
Hulu, Disney+, etc.

[BrainSyphoned]

Put the Persona 5 anime on sale before you close the service :p

[Nacho_Z]

Fair enough, never used it once myself and if I'm relatively typical they probably weren't doing great numbers.

[SamPao]

Its not even available in my country...

[uGLYmE]

Finally! IMO this only cluttered the store and will be a welcome change. Great news.

[Aussiesummer]

With sony releasing CORE on all their new tv's from now on its no surprise. I just wish CORE was coming to PS5 as well, maybe it will who knows.

[Mr_Luke]

Well, since there are so many app for it (and more famous, like Netflix, Prime Video, Hulu, Disney+, etc) i guess people slowly stopped using the service and it became useless. Just my thoughts, i even forgot i could rent/buy movies from the store.

[Chevalier]

Sony also has their own streaming in both Crunchyroll and Funimation apps too. A lot of their content is on Netflix

[joestrummer77]

never buy films or TV shows, isn't that what torrent sites are for, much better and free.

[leahcim]

good! now bring all the psx1 and psx2 games to the store, the time is now...

[Knightofelemia]

Well looks like I am renting movies through my Xbox I like renting movies through the Playstation more but now they are deciding to castrate that feature.

[RazzerRedux]

You can still rent movies on your PlayStation. The streaming apps are not going anywhere.

[Knightofelemia]

As of August 31 2021 Sony is pulling the movie rentals streaming apps I don't use Netflix I barely use. I go Playstation because they can tell the difference between French and English. I rented a movie on Xbox and it was in French I had to phone Microsoft to get my money refunded because I don't live in the French part of Canada and I don't speak French.

[Bahamut-Shin]

things like this I why I still buy phisical copies of everything.

[Unknown_Gamer5794]

I'm guessing this is in response to the popularity of services like Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+, etc., which are available to PS users.

[Nodoze]

Good, nobody cares.

[Freshnikes]

$13.99 a month ps ++ includes ps+ and streaming movies ( sign me up right now )

[46player]

Makes sense to me! Between all the other streaming services, this seems like a waste.

[Freshnikes]

Makes all the sense ( who buys or rents movies from ps store ) lmao when you can stream from Netflix or prime or Apple TV ( I would ditch prime and apple t.v ) keep Netflix and ps streaming ( les go )

[B1uBurneR]

XBOX ONE was a true all in one, all along. What a timing. With online theater releases picking up. You'd think so would more in this direction instead of cutting off movie rentals... movie piracy will worsen among PS4 users if shits not on hulu or Netflix

[RazzerRedux]

This isn't impacting streaming apps at all. No idea what Xbox One has to do with any of this. PS3 had streaming apps.

[B1uBurneR]

Its ok, you missed my point.

[RazzerRedux]

Then your point isn't clear. But its ok

[B1uBurneR]

I think I found the culprit..
Correction:
Me: With Theater releases going directly to Home streaming on the same day.. as we watch this trend pick up, MORTAL KOMBAT for example. You'd think Sony would move in this direction instead of cutting off movie rentals.

Me: movie piracy will worsen among PS4 users if shits not on hulu or Netflix. I have Hulu, Netflix, Amazon and still won't find every movie.. in that case, I'll find them on MS movie rentals they are usually theater-released movies.
You: This isn't impacting streaming apps at all. No idea what Xbox One has to do with any of this. PS3 had streaming apps.

XBox One whole theme is its an ALL-In-One BOx and that core part hasn't changed.

[Starman69]

It's all about the games 😁

[BlindMango]

Not really surprised to see this - gaming consoles went from the mindset in the PS3 generation in being the center of your living room (being able to download pictures, videos, music onto your HDD, SD Card, USB Drive etc) to being more gaming focused on PS4 and PS5 where you can't store movies/pictures/music on the drive anymore

[Master of Unlocking]

That service was severely flawed, over here at least. Instead of offering the traditional dual soundtrack movie, one in english the other in the local language, they have only dubbed versions, one being in 5.1 surround sound, the other in stereo 2.0. Not one single track in english! Who comes up with cr@p like that? No wonder it never took off. You have to be out of your mind to try and tackle this business and never offer an OV with your movie.
A couple years ago I mentioned the problem in an email from Playstation asking me what I thought should change in that VOD service, but nothing was done.

Yet again it's one of those instances where, instead of repairing what's broken, Sony prefers to remove it altogether (like the internet browser, the other os, etc.)
I dread to think what Sony would've done had they been in a different line of work, like, if they were running a clinic...

[TimeSkipLuffy]

I am glad I never invested in a digital movie library there. :D

[Atomicjuicer]

So what happens to those of us who bought movies with playstation? And why should I continue to buy ANYTHING digital from Sony if this is their path?

[Redgehammer]

I rent movies on Xbox, so I hope XB does not follow suit.

[HeliosHex]

That's fine just keep those AAA titles coming.