You may lose all your games: Sony may delete inactive PlayStation account after 3 years

Discussions about the future of physical media in the world of games are ongoing, especially amid news of Sony’s plans to stop releasing games on disc by early 2028. A new round of discussions was sparked by a clause in the user agreement (TOS), according to which the company reserves the right to close a user’s account for prolonged inactivity.

What are Sony’s rules?

According to clause 21.2 of the agreement (SIE TOS), if the owner has not been active on his PlayStation account for 36 months, the company can take steps to delete it. It’s worth noting that this protection mechanism requires notice: before terminating an account, Sony must contact the user via email and provide a 6-month “grace period” to log in or confirm intent to keep the account.

Why was this important news

For players in the European Union, this rule has been in place for several years, but it remained in the shadows until the recent controversy over the removal of discs. Now critics of the “digital future” see this as a serious risk: owners of PS4 and PS5 consoles fear that after years of absence they may permanently lose access to their vast library of purchased digital games.

Will deleting accounts become a widespread problem?

Although Sony’s legal documents allow for such actions, there are currently no documented cases of mass deletion of game accounts. Such practices are not something unique—Microsoft reserves a similar right. However, the community’s concerns are fueled by the recent precedent of Sony removing more than 550 films and shows from StudioCanal from users’ libraries.

Should users be worried?

Most experts agree that the average player is not in danger of being deleted if he periodically uses the service. However, the risks increase for those who take long breaks: someone is at war, someone left and is a refugee somewhere in Europe, someone switches to other platforms or temporarily puts their hobby aside. The situation once again emphasizes the vulnerability of the digital model of content ownership to physical media, which still remains independent of the policies of company servers.

FAQ