PlayStation Store fans will soon need a new place to rent movies. Sony announced Tuesday that it is discontinuing the ability to rent and buy movies and TV shows from the PlayStation Store. The change will take effect on Aug. 31.
The good news for PlayStation movie renters is that it shouldn’t take long to find a replacement. Services like YouTube, Amazon Prime Video, and Vudu are some of the biggest movie rental apps in the world, and they’re all available on the PlayStation Store.
According to Sony’s blog post about the change, the largest driver behind its decision was the increased used of subscription and ad-based streaming services, not just those that allow rentals. And the PlayStation Store has plenty of options there too, with services like Netflix, HBO Max, and Peacock.
While the ability to rent through the PlayStation Store may be disappearing, any content you’ve purchased won’t be. Sony’s statement includes an assurance to customers that any movies and TV shows they’ve already purchased on the the PlayStation Store will still be available to view on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and mobile devices.