When Xbox did this you paid monthly, subscribed to game pass and at the end of two years you owned the console. It was also less expensive than the separate cost of console and subscription, to the tune of 1p. 😂

“You will own nothing and you will be happy”

Let me guess, if it isn't in 100% mint condition when you return it, you get to pay for it, including a service fee of 150€ for their inconvenience.

Agreed to the author's opinion at the end:
You don't own the games installed in the console. Physical media requires Sony's hardware's validation. Now you start to not even own the hardware anymore. And all that being slowly normalized for decades, drop by drop, and just now the situation seems to be reaching a breaking point.

Also impressive Sony didn't keep pulling a Nintendo after the Bleem Emulator case. Imagine how bad it is to be able to run a game outside of the native hardware. /s

People used to rent their televisions because the technology was too expensive to own outright. It’s weird that this business model is becoming viable again, and specifically for hardware that’s been in circulation for a while. I appreciate that Sony are just looking at ways to expand their player base, and i’d presume some of the economic drivers are out of their control, but I don’t think this should be encouraged or tolerated.

We could also rent our couch! It's only $25/month!

Well, anyone who gets these needs to ensure they only buy physical games otherwise they'll be left with a bunch of games they can't do anything with at the end of their lease...

Folks here jest, but this business model is coming to PCs next. Bookmark my words!

(Literally, you can right-click the perma-link to this message and have quick access to it later so you can reply, "Damn, you were right!" And post the link to big PC vendors suddenly offering a similar services because DRAM and GPUs have become so expensive, normal people can't afford to buy PCs anymore)

You'll own nothing. And be happier for it.

Is what corporations and the predatory class would have we believe.

You shall own nothing.

I paid $30-something a month for an Xbox Series X and GamePass for 2 years. And I got to keep the Xbox!

(Xbox All Access. It’s no longer offered. And you saved $20 if you did it, at the original price of GamePass Ultimate, $15/month, it’s since doubled in price since they told Congress buying Activision would lower prices for consumers.)

Useful idiots go crazy