cross-posted from: https://lemmy.world/post/51388116

With the end of physical PlayStation games looming, the need for clear digital ownership rights is more pressing than ever.

For its part, Sony believes your rights are very clear: you do not own your digital games, and it's unlikely you're stupid enough to believe otherwise. At least, that's roughly the argument the company's lawyers are presenting in response to a proposed class-action lawsuit.

Sony argues that its current customer-facing disclosures ensure that "reasonable consumers would not be misled" into believing they actually own their digital games. That's according to a Game File report (paid article link) citing an August 21 filing Sony's lawyers made in California's Northern District.

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[–] 1 point 1 hour ago*

Surely, someone with a Sony account can post a screenshot with the "rent" button, right?

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  • [+] 1 point 1 hour ago*
    [–] 9 points 3 hours ago

    Okay, then change the store and put "rent" on the button that leads to payment.

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  • [–] 6 points 3 hours ago*

    Look how I will pirate the fuck out of Sony now. Not even by stealing it,vas it's not owned, I'll just borrow it for some time.

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  • [–] 19 points 4 hours ago

    The storefront literally says "Buy" (in my language, at least) next to each digital game offer. After I finish the transaction Sony sends me an email thanking me for making the purchase.

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  • [–] 29 points 7 hours ago (1 child)

    Ah yes when I buy a book nobody else can read it either.

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  • [–] 2 points 3 hours ago

    It's ok. Sony is burying consoles at the moment and I am not sad to see them go. There was a time for game machines on the family TV but those days are over. Get yourself a Steam deck or some handheld and screw the family TV . We didn't want to keep that anyway. Good bye to Sony from gamers, it was fun for a while.

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  • [–] 60 points 11 hours ago

    And if piracy was theft then no one else could get it if stolen once.

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  • [–] 34 points 10 hours ago* (1 child)

    Sony lawyers are stupid enough to argue about nonsense. Nobody was even thinking of owning GTA 6 because they purchased a copy or license to use it. Do I really have to explain a lawyer, that owning a license would mean that Sony has no rights to take the license away after you purchased it? We are arguing over owning the license to play the game, not owning the franchise. Also look at GOG, where you can even own the stuff you download, in the sense that you are in control of it.

    Does anyone remember NFTs? Right, this scam thing with the apes. But honestly, just like any other technology, it could solve issues if used properly. NFTs could have solved the ownership of a specific license to a game problem. Because it guarantees and proofs that you own the license, independent from any launcher or company (but still depending on an account probably), almost like a disc or cartridge. So from technology wise it could be solved if they wanted to. But they don't.

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  • [–] 20 points 11 hours ago (3 children)

    Good point! Well, since there is only one copy and I can’t have it, I guess I’ll pirate it. After all, if there’s only one you can’t sell it more than once either!

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  • [–] 3 points 3 hours ago

    I've actually pirated some games I bought (including GTA 5) because it's easier to play them without the stupid DRMs/protection, activation, anticheats messing up mods, online features nagging me, etc.

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  • [–] 13 points 13 hours ago

    Owning in this context is such a relative term, I don't technically own my physical games still I can play it forever during my lifetime because nobody can stop me in reproduce datas on it: physical is important for this reason (excluding dumb editions with partial game on it, thanks to doesitplay.org for the info about that); digital rights are obviously needed but most of the commenters seems to ignore this argument.

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