Sony Claims 'Reasonable' Consumers Understand Digital Games Aren't Owned

Sony is defending its digital storefront practices in a California court, arguing that no "reasonable" consumer believes that buying a digital game constitutes actual ownership. According to reporting from Engadget, the company maintains that digital transactions provide a revocable license to play rather than a transfer of ownership.

The dispute stems from a class-action lawsuit filed June 18, which alleges Sony violates California law by failing to clearly disclose the nature of these transactions at the point of sale. The lawsuit points to the use of terms like "buy" and "purchase" on interface buttons, claiming Sony relegates ownership disclaimers to separate agreements that users are not required to acknowledge before paying.

In a response filed August 21, Sony argued that digital ownership is implausible because multiple users can buy the same title. As first reported by The Game File, Sony illustrated this by citing two plaintiffs, Jason Mendoza and Edward Heycock, who both obtained the game *Resident Evil Requiem* from the PlayStation Store in February 2026 for $69.99. Sony contends that if Mendoza had truly owned the game after his February 14 purchase, Heycock would have been unable to purchase it on February 25.

This legal battle arrives as Sony prepares to end physical game production in 2028. Following the court filing, Sony sent an email to customers last week reminding them that digital games are licensed rather than sold.