Sony's move to phase out physical PlayStation games has drawn sharp criticism from a leading digital rights organisation, which describes the shift as the latest in a series of erosions to consumers' ownership rights. The group argues that abandoning physical media pushes players further towards a licensing model, where they no longer truly own the games they buy but merely rent access to them, subject to a publisher's ongoing goodwill and business decisions.

The criticism centres on the broader industry trend away from tangible discs and cartridges towards fully digital distribution, which campaigners say strips buyers of the ability to resell, lend, or permanently retain their purchases once support is withdrawn or platforms are shut down. The digital rights advocate frames this as a deliberate strategic direction rather than a neutral technological shift, warning that the underlying goal is to convert customers into long-term renters of content rather than owners, with implications for preservation, resale value and consumer choice across the games industry.