Sony's game resale policy isn't new, has remained the same since 2013

New reports make a shocking suggestion: Sony has prohibited consumers from selling their physical PlayStation games to stores, digital e-commerce sites, and other people. This isn't the case.

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Sony's overseas Software Usage Terms are once again under the crosshair for alarming language around game resales. The gaming sphere has picked up on a specific passage in Sony's software EU terms that seemingly forbids consumers from selling their purchased PlayStation titles. This isn't the first time this particular passage has kicked off a controversy, and the actual terms haven't changed in the past 9 years.

The reality is that the Software Usage Terms were controversial even before the PS4 launched. Eurogamer reported on this very subject two days before the PS4 released in 2013, which prompted Sony's Shuhei Yoshida to clarify that yes, users could indeed sell and share their PS4 games.

Below we have both versions of the terms as they exist today and as they existed in 2013.,

Live version of the terms, updated in December 2022:

07. Resale

7.1. You must not resell either disc-based games or digital games, unless expressly authorised by us and, if the publisher is another company, additionally by the publisher.

Archived version from March 31, 2014:

7. Resale

7.1. You must not resell either Disc-based Software or Software Downloads, unless expressly authorised by us and, if the publisher is another company, additionally by the publisher.

So this is nothing new. Sony's Software Usage Terms prohibit users from selling PlayStation software if not expressly authorized by Sony.

Luckily for all PlayStation gamers everywhere, Sony Interactive Entertainment's Shuhei Yoshida has given everyone express, authorized permission to sell and share their PlayStation games.