As far back as 2009, PlayStation was vying to be the hub of the living room—an all-inclusive entertainment device. Now, it seems, that strategy is shifting slightly.
Sony has announced plans to end the sale and rental of movies and TV shows on its PlayStation platforms, effective Aug. 31. Users will still be able to access content they previously purchased.
“We strive to provide the best entertainment experience for PlayStation fans, and that means evolving our offerings as customer needs change,” the company said in a statement. “We’ve seen tremendous growth from PlayStation fans using subscription-based and ad-based entertainment streaming services on our consoles. With this shift in customer behavior, we have decided to no longer offer movie and TV purchases and rentals through PlayStation Store as of August 31, 2021.”
The decision comes roughly 16 months after Sony shut down its PlayStation Vue streaming television service.
The move will let Sony focus more exclusively on the PlayStation as a video game device. The PlayStation 4 led the market and the PlayStation 5 is off to a very strong start this console generation, and sales of game software are more profitable for the division.
Streaming services, such as Netflix, Disney+, HBO Max, and more will continue to be available on PlayStation devices. As mentioned by the company, that will more than fulfill non-gaming entertainment options for users.
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