Sony Has Reaffirmed You Don't, "Own," Those Digital Movies You Bought. I'm Not Surprised

I discussed almost exactly three months ago my concerns with how physical media disappearing could lead to issues due to how we never really seem to, "Own," digital media--even if we, "Buy," it. Some folks argue that if you outright bought something, of course you own it! Well, they are oh so very wrong sometimes, as recent news at the PlayStation store makes evident. John Walker at Kotaku breaks it all down:

Sony is contacting PlayStation Store users who bought movies from the platform that were distributed by StudioCanal—like Terminator 2, Total Recall, and Confessions of a Dangerous Mind—to say that “you will no longer be able to access your previously purchased content from Studio Canal, and it will be removed from your video library.” There’s no mention of any refunds or make-goods for the affected users. Sony simply says the films are going away “due to our content licensing agreements,” once again reaffirming the fact that you are never truly buying anything that’s digital, just temporarily renting it.

You bought a movie to stream on your PlayStation or maybe even took the step to download it for some form of safekeeping. Sony comes along and says, "Nah, you didn't," before pointing to some fine print tucked away in a massive EULA document. Things like this are why I get nervous hearing, "GTA VI," won't have a disc in the physical boxes upon release, just a download code. When you don't have the DVD, comic, or even a DRM-free download of something, it could very well disappear someday from wherever you thought it was secure.

Society seems to be moving more and more towards a model where nothing is owned, and everything has a membership plan. The subscription economy has its cheerleaders and those fatigued by it. In some ways, it is the logical evolution of capitalism--arguably for the worse. Just remember that you own nothing and you're going to love it!

There Has Never Been a Better Time to Play, "Alan Wake 2," On the PS5

If you have a PlayStation 5, you most likely have at least the bare minimum version of its internet service, PlayStation+. The cheapest option lets you play games online with others and get a few free games every month. This month, one of those free games happens to be, "Alan Wake 2," and you should download it ASAP.

Funnily enough, I was already playing, "Alan Wake 2," via checking it out from the library, but now I can play it without even needing a disc! Set in the same in-game universe as, "Alan Wake," and, "Control," you don't need to have played either to enjoy this intense and thrilling horror title. The first, "Alan Wake," was more of an action and adventure game with some scary trappings while, "Control," was quirky, and I honestly didn't vibe with it much. "Alan Wake 2,"  however, is spooky, mysterious, and incredibly engaging. 

There are ample creepy vibes.

A chunk of the game is spent as Saga Anderson, an FBI agent with some strong problem-solving skills and profiling abilities, while some of the game is spent as Alan Wake himself. By playing as both her and him, you try to figure out what creepy and culty business is happening in the Pacific Northwest. It is quite an intense game and I'm loving it as I do many of the games Remedy puts out (my weird inability to get into, "Control," aside). If you've got a PS5 and even the base subscription to PlayStation+, go add, "Alan Wake 2," to your library now and get to playing it; I know I'm having a ball--albeit a very intense one!

PS Plus Prices Are Increasing in Other Countries...Could America be Next?

Oftentimes, companies will test something out in one country before implementing it in others. Netflix tried cracking down on password sharing in various regions before bringing it to North America, to give one example. Hence, hearing that PlayStation Plus is raising its price in other countries makes me nervous. Before too long, we could see Sony decide to raise the cost of PS Plus here too, with nary an extra, "Benefit," for us as a result. No matter the reason (tariffs, inflation, etc.), prices will go up, and eventually these increases will hit everyone. Fun times, eh?