Sony to eliminate Playstation Vue pay TV service to refocus on games

Last Updated on July 30, 2021

Light the vigil, release the ravens, and bow your heads in silence, for the ongoing Streamer Wars have claimed a new victim this day. It's been announced that Sony is shutting down its live TV subscription service Playstation Vue as of January 30, 2020.

“Unfortunately, the highly competitive Pay TV industry, with expensive content and network deals, has been slower to change than we expected,” Sony said in a blog post. “Because of this, we have decided to remain focused on our core gaming business.”

Sony launched Playstation Vue as a solution to streaming services in early 2015. According to Sony representatives, “We had ambitious goals for how our service could change how people watch TV, showcasing PlayStation’s ability to innovate in a brand-new category within the Pay TV industry,” But alas, their efforts were all for naught, for the battle for streamer supremacy is a vicious skirmish indeed. While Sony never released subscriber numbers for Vue to the public, analysts and industry trackers have surmised that the service never quite reached 1 million customers.

As part of a farewell post for the soon-to-be-defunct service, Sony wrote the following: “We are very proud of what PlayStation Vue was able to accomplish.” Ah Sony, chipper about their failings until the bitter end. You've got to admire that kind of moxie. I know I do.

I suppose it's time to pour one out for old Playstation Vue, Sony's budget-conscience solution to cable-like streaming services. For some, it was a way to enjoy digital films before their physical release. For others, it was a way of gaining access to some of their favorite shows and films. For me, it was just another feature to ignore on my Playstation's main menu. However, I would still like to offer a tip of my hat to the service, which fought the good fight as the streaming vultures the likes of Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Prime began circling 'round. So long, Playstation Vue, and thanks for all the fish.