Sony Argues Digital Games Cannot Be Owned in Court Filing

Sony has argued in a federal court filing that consumers do not own the digital games they purchase on the PlayStation Store, a position that could have significant implications for players as the company moves toward an all-digital future. The argument was made in a response to a class action lawsuit filed in June 2026 by four California customers.

The lawsuit alleges that Sony's checkout process on the PlayStation Store violates a California law that took effect in January 2025. This law requires digital storefronts to provide a clear and conspicuous disclosure that purchases are licenses, not ownership transfers, when using terms like "buy" or "purchase." The plaintiffs claim Sony's warnings are insufficient, buried in fine print within lengthy terms of service agreements.

In its August 21 filing, Sony countered that "reasonable consumers would not be misled" into believing they own digital games. The company's lawyers argued that true ownership is implausible in a digital marketplace, citing the fact that multiple customers can purchase the same game. To illustrate this, the filing pointed to two plaintiffs who bought the same title, Resident Evil Requiem, on different...