They need to start calling it “long term game rental”
Correct but gross. Leasing.
Pay for the games that have good consumer practices.
For the predatory games, either find some other way to get them…or don’t play/pay at all.
For the predatory games, either find some other way to get them…or don’t play/pay at all.
It’s good advice, but past experience strongly suggests not enough people are going to follow it to make a difference. I think the only way game pubishers and other media companies reform their practices is if there are enforced government regulations requiring them to do so.
Both, really. In fact I’d say all three:
- Don’t give money to publishers who do shit like this.
- Be loud about that fact and shame people who do spend their money like that.
- Advocate for proper government regulation.
CONTENT LICENSE AND RESTRICTIONS
10.1. All intellectual property rights subsisting in PSN Content, including all software, data, services, and other content subsisting in or used in connection with PSN, the Online ID and access to content and hardware used in connection with PSN belong to SIE, its affiliates, and its licensors. Use of the terms “own,” “ownership”, “purchase,” “sale,” “sold,” “sell,” “rent” or “buy” in this Agreement or in connection with PSN Content does not mean or imply any transfer of ownership of any content, data or software or any intellectual property rights from SIE, its affiliates or its licensors to any user or third party.Source: https://www.playstation.com/en-us/legal/terms-of-use-march-2025
It’s worse, when any company can define what these terms mean.
Ownership does not mean ownership.
Capitalism where we change the definition of a word to fit our profit motive
Since all the regulatory agencies that keep corporations in check are captured, we’re going to see more and more abuses of consumers, especially through EULAs and TOS.
In fact, TOS and EULA abuse is so useful (thanks to the DMCA) we’re now seeing proprietary software added into devices just to force obsolescence.
See also UNEQUAL TREATIES
See also RIGHT TO REPAIRThey might call it sideowning or something like that
Then I should be able to sideload it onto another device!
After all, it’s no longer limited by any sort of physical, proprietary format, right?
RIGHT?!
