The PlayStation the community pointed out a rule in Sony's terms of service in some regions that allows the company to delete a user's account only for inactivity. July has been a chaotic month for the Japanese company so far. It started with the announcement that PlayStation consoles will no longer receive new physical discs from January 2028. Now Sony is under fire for trying to maintain full control over consumers' digital libraries through what some are now calling an “unreasonable contract.”
Many believe the gaming industry is moving towards a non-ownership model, allowing large companies like Sony to essentially “rent” games under the guise of “selling”. People's right to own the products they paid for appears to be at risk, and some hope future legislation will stop such policies before it's too late. That said, the newly updated part of Sony's terms and conditions has convinced many that no one will actually own what they buy.
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Sony may delete your PS account due to inactivity
Fans noticed a controversial policy in Sony's terms of service in some regions, including the UK, in a section called “Account Closure” that states: “If you haven't used your account for at least 36 months, we may take steps to close it.” The policy gives account owners a six-month window to reclaim their accounts before they are deleted. This means that users may lose their entire PS library of digitally owned content, including paid games and DLC, if their account is closed due to inactivity. As Sony says: “Once your account is closed, you will not be able to access PlayStation online services or use digital products purchased using that account. Account closure is irreversible.”
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GameRant was unable to independently verify when Sections 21.1, 21.2, and 21.3 were added to the PlayStation Terms of Service. However, according to the UK-specific TOS, the page was last updated in April 2026. It's also worth noting that at the time of writing, the US version of Sony's terms of service does not include a similar section regarding account inactivity.
Fans are calling for a PlayStation boycott
Amid news of Sony's account inactivity policy, many fans on social media are using #BoycottSony to call on gamers around the world to stop buying from the PlayStation Store. There is also an official PlayStation petition urging the company to reconsider its decision. One of the main arguments against Sony's decision to stop making discs is that the company is effectively taking away ownership rights from customers, not just one of their purchasing options. Sony has yet to comment on the backlash, and its final official statement remains a July 1st blog post.
The Japanese video game giant has confirmed that PlayStation will continue to support discs beyond 2028, though reprints and re-releases will be limited to games originally released before 2027. Meanwhile, the company has offered no guarantee that it will protect users' digital libraries as it moves towards what appears to be a full transition to the disc-free era. In contrast, its policy allows digitally owned content to be removed or canceled without legal explanation or refund. For example, Sony already plans to remove more than 500 movies from users' libraries in September due to licensing requirements.
