Digital ownership is a lie — Xbox and PlayStation just reminded us

The idea that you own your digital library is crumbling

If you’ve ever bought a movie or game online and assumed it’s yours forever, this week should make you think again.

On July 18, Microsoft quietly ended all movie and TV sales on the Xbox and Microsoft Store. No big announcement — just a silent update to their support page. While users can still watch what they’ve previously purchased, there are no refunds, no transfers, and no guarantees for how long that access will last.

Over in Japan, Sony’s PlayStation Store is about to delist more than 100 PS4 and PS Vita titles. Publisher Entergram confirmed all 106 games will be removed from sale on September 30. They won’t disappear from your library if you already own them — but if you don’t, they’ll be gone. And unlike Microsoft, Sony hasn’t explained why this is happening.

Digital purchases aren’t the same as ownership

Both moves point to the same problem: when your purchases live entirely on a platform’s servers, your control over them is limited. You can’t back them up. You can’t transfer them. And you can’t stop a company from removing them, even if you paid full price.

This isn’t a one-time glitch. Apple, Google, and Amazon have all made similar changes over the years, discontinuing or removing content from their platforms without customer input.

Buy now, gone later

The takeaway is simple. You’re not buying digital content. You’re licensing it — and that license comes with fine print that often puts the platform in full control. Whether it’s a movie on Xbox or an obscure game on the Japanese PlayStation Store, your access to it depends entirely on decisions made by the company behind the platform.

So before you build your library on any one service, ask the tougher question: what happens when the service changes the rules?