Since PlayStation announced its plans to go fully digital by 2028, public perception of the brand has taken a big hit. Protests like the PlayStation Blackout and comments on just about anything Sony posts prove many gamers aren’t quite ready to let “no disc, no buy” go. So, it’s not too surprising that fans are having mixed reactions to the latest feature Sony surprise-dropped for the PS5. In fact, many fans are saying this move sends PlayStation back to the Xbox One era.
On August 31st, PlayStation announced the launch of a new Live TV on PS5 feature in the United States. This offers a free, ad-supported lineup of live TV channels and some on-demand entertainment options, right on the PS5 console. Once users sign in with their PlayStation account, they can enjoy the free entertainment feature. Though it’s starting in the U.S., Sony plans to bring Live TV on PS5 to other regions soon, starting with Canada. However, free TV and on-demand entertainment isn’t quite the big PR win you might expect.
If you’re in the U.S. and have an active PSN account, you can check out the Live TV on PS5 feature right now. It doesn’t require PS Plus or any bizarre cable setups a la Xbox One. Though it’s got “TV” in the name, the offering is really more of a mix of Live TV and on-demand programming from creators, including a dedicated Hot Ones channel. Anime fans can also enjoy anime like Sailor Moon or Hunter x Hunter from Crunchyroll. It’s all hosted in the Media menu on your PS5. But free or not, some PlayStation fans aren’t quite ready to let the company back in their good graces.
For many, this announcement is giving serious 2013 flashbacks. That was the year Microsoft tried to push its own Live TV on Xbox One feature. As one X user puts it, “Everything PlayStation is doing now is basically stuff everyone was complaining about during the Xbox One era.” Indeed, the Xbox rendition of live TV on your console was a bit more convoluted and required connecting your TV source to your Xbox One via HDMI. Even so, it was a relatively similar idea that was perhaps a bit ahead of its time, since technology wasn’t quite ready for a simple and straightforward streaming approach. By comparison, Live TV on PS5 is much more user-friendly. But that doesn’t mean it’s an easy win for PlayStation’s public perception.
#NoDiscNoBuy pic.twitter.com/cCtLWev5J7
Like with pretty much anything PlayStation shares to socials, the comments have been inundated with “No Disc, No Buy” images. Offering free streaming might be a nice perk in isolation, but for many, it highlights the digital-only future that Sony has promised. Given recent issues with libraries of owned digital films and movies being removed from PlayStation users’ accounts, the addition of free streaming is just another reminder that we don’t really own any of our digital media. There’s also the fact that, with a built-in disc drive, PlayStation owners could already enjoy their library of physical movies on the console. With many PS5 models leaving disc drives behind, and the entirely disc-free pivot incoming, streaming feels a bit like a consolation prize.
Not everyone is upset about the option to access live TV and on-demand entertainment on the PS5. But it’s certainly not getting an entirely warm reception amidst ongoing frustration about the disc-free future.
