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Sony's decision to stop releasing disc-based games continues to spark heated debate. This time players' attention was drawn to a clause in the European PlayStation Network terms of service. It states that an inactive account can be closed after three years. Along with it, the user may lose access to all digitally purchased games. Although it is not known how often Sony exercises this right, the clause itself is causing a lot of controversy.
Three years without logging in could mean losing your game library
Under PlayStation's European terms of service a user's account can be closed after 36 months of total inactivity. Before deleting the account Sony must send an email and give the user six months to log back in or contact the company. If the account owner does not respond, the account may be permanently closed. This also means losing access to all digitally purchased games and other products tied to the account. The terms explicitly state that such a decision is irreversible. There is no clear information on whether Sony actually applies this procedure in practice. Still, every PlayStation Store user accepted these terms when creating their account. The topic gained attention after the announcement that physical game releases will end from 2028. For many players this is another argument in favour of keeping physical media. The matter has reignited the debate about whether buying a digital game means you actually own it.
Microsoft stosuje podobne zasady, ale z ważną różnicą
Similar provisions regarding inactive accounts also appear in Microsoft's terms of service. However, the company says it does not delete accounts that contain digital purchases, including Xbox games, due to inactivity. It's this difference that has attracted greater criticism of Sony's policy. It's also worth emphasising that the clause on deleting accounts is not related to the EU's GDPR. It has been in PlayStation's terms of service for many years and was gradually extended from 18 to the current 36 months. The debate over ownership of digital games is likely to intensify as the industry moves away from physical media. More and more gamers are pointing out the limitations that come from the licensed nature of digital purchases. It's possible that in the future this issue will prompt changes to consumer rights laws. For now, however, the existing terms remain unchanged.
PlayStation's European terms allow Sony to close an inactive account after three years, which could mean losing access to all digitally purchased games. Although it's unclear how often the company exercises this right, the clause has once again sparked a debate about ownership of digital products.
source: flatpanelshd
