The Sony Shonky Award 2026 citation focuses on digital ownership. Australian consumer organisation CHOICE names Sony Interactive Entertainment among its annual Shonky recipients, criticising the gap between purchasing language and the licensing terms attached to digital content.
What CHOICE is criticising
In its original award citation, CHOICE argues that checkout wording can leave customers with an unclear understanding of continuing access. It raises concerns about licensing expiry, account access and the loss of a second-hand market when games are distributed digitally.
Those are CHOICE’s criticisms. The award is the consumer group’s judgement, not a new court ruling or a finding that every PlayStation purchase has disappeared.
Keep future changes separate from completed events
CHOICE’s account describes PS3 and PS Vita store closures planned for July 2027, with existing purchases remaining downloadable for the foreseeable future. It also describes a January 2028 change for new PlayStation games, while retaining exceptions for existing and already-scheduled disc releases. That is different from saying both stores have already closed or all disc production has ended.
Purchase and subscription access are different
A separate example is this month’s PlayStation Plus monthly-game lineup. Claim periods and membership access should be read on their own terms rather than treated as permanent ownership.
CHOICE’s full winners announcement gives the wider context for the 2026 awards.
