It means the essentially defunct service will now only work across two devices.

PlayStation LifeStyle wrote about the email that Sony sent out to the site about the service, which distributes online movies and television shows, on Friday. But hang on, here’s something puzzling: Sony announced on the PlayStation Blog in March 2021 that new purchases and rentals of movies and TV shows would be stopped from August 31, 2021! Either the company is in a time warp or has forgotten what it announced two years ago.

“Thank you for using the PlayStation Video application on your Blu-ray player or smart TV. As of 07/16/2023, PlayStation Video will no longer be supported on Blu-ray players or smart TVs, and you will no longer be able to access PS Video content via these devices. However, you can continue to access your PS Video content on your PS5 or PS4 console. Please see the FAQ for additional information and check back periodically for updates,” Sony said.

PlayStation Video launched in February 2010, offering material by Sony Pictures, 20th Century Studios, Warner Bros. Pictures, Universal Pictures, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios, Paramount Pictures, and Lionsgate. Its decay didn’t start yesterday. We are at a loss to understand how, in the age of Netflix or the millions of online subscription services (e.g., Max, formerly known as HBO Max), the service has managed to stay afloat all this time. In 2017, it was no longer available on Sony Bravia TVs (in-house products!) and other older devices… such as PSP, PS3, and PlayStation Vita.

So Sony is limiting access to PlayStation Video to its two consoles, but this isn’t a move that the company is making to boost its console sales (or awareness of the service). Still, it seems to be a final phase before the company leaves it all behind. Has anyone used the service once?

Source: PSL