Sony Interactive Entertainment has suddenly announced that PlayStation owners will lose all Discovery TV shows as of December 31, 2023. This includes content that users purchased, sparking widespread concerns and backlash over the weekend.
PlayStation blames the loss of Discovery TV shows on content licensing
Word of the announcement first came via users who received an email regarding the change from Sony, following which the company put up a legal notice on its official website. “As of 31 December 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 note reads. “We sincerely thank you for your continued support.”
The page then goes on to list hundreds of Discovery TV shows and their seasons that are due to be pulled in the near future. It’s not the expiration of the content licensing agreement that has everyone worried — what’s truly worrying amid talks of an “all-digital” future is that PlayStation users are losing content that they purchased, with no word (and probably no chance) of a refund.
It remains to be seen if any legal repercussions will follow this move.