In a move that will rightfully have people questioning the advent of an all-digital future, Sony has confirmed that hundreds of Discovery TV shows will soon be completely removed from PlayStation platforms — even if you’ve purchased them through the PS Store.

“As of 31 December 2023, due to our content licensing arrangements with content providers, you will no longer be able to watch any of your previously purchased Discovery content and the content will be removed from your video library,” reads the rather sudden announcement. That same page includes a full list of all the Discovery shows that are being wiped — and it’s a long one.

It’s unclear exactly why Sony’s previous agreement with Discovery has been axed, although it’s worth noting that the network merged with Warner Bros. last year. It’s possible that a new deal will be struck down the line, but as of right now, PlayStation users are about to lose access to a trove of digital media that they may have already paid for.

This certainly isn’t the first time that stuff has been removed from the PS Store and people’s purchase libraries, and you can bet it won’t be the last. But this latest announcement is already sparking plenty of renewed debate over digital ownership rights, the necessity of things like physical media, and the underlying morals of piracy.

Will this mass deletion of Discovery shows impact you at all? Does this kind of thing make you question digital purchases? Raise an eyebrow at the mention of ‘all-digital future’ in the comments section below.