This week, PlayStation fans grew incensed that the PS5 (made more expensive with price hikes) was reportedly requiring a new, constant internet connection to play the games they buy. After watching the PlayStation community burn for days on end, Sony finally offered the barest explanation to cool the internet’s hottest heads.
The panic started with rumors of new DRM, or digital rights management, that perpetuated on X, which were further spread by and exacerbated by YouTubers and Twitch streamers. Some PlayStation users spotted an odd “30-day license check” on new digital-only games purchased on both the PlayStation 4 and PS5. The check seemingly required an internet connection to confirm the licenses’ authenticity every month. However, even then, it was unclear if the game would actually stop working when the timer ran out.
It turns out that the check is only a one-time occurrence. A Sony spokesperson told GameSpot, “Players can continue to access and play their purchased games as usual. A one-time online check is required to confirm the game’s license, after which no further check-ins are required.”
In the end, the DRM check is a one-time method to determine if a game’s license is legitimate or not. It’s likely a means to fight against a refund scam that let players keep a game after they went offline and refunded the title. It likely only impacts new games purchased from March this year or later. It’s not nearly as sweeping as the infamous Xbox One DRM, where Microsoft originally instituted 24-hour internet check-ins for all purchased games. Xbox removed those DRM checks months prior to the console’s launch.
By keeping quiet about changes to its platforms, Sony has been far too tight-lipped about changes to its platform and policies. When the company isn’t open about these changes, it lets sensational social media speculation run rampant until it can drop the merest boilerplate statement.
The entire situation is indicative of anxieties surrounding game ownership. When you purchase a digital title on the PlayStation Store, you’re not buying a copy of the game but a “personal license” to play it, as explained in Sony’s terms of service. That license can be revoked. Back in 2022, Sony removed several movies from German-based PlayStation accounts, likely due to Sony’s own licensing issues with the rightsholders.
PlayStation controls what games are available to buy, evidenced by it removing over 150 “shovelware” titles from its digital store. Nobody will miss those games, but it’s an example of how much control Sony has over its entire platform. It determines what games you can play. It can restrict where and how you play them. It can remove those games from your library if it deems it necessary. The least the home entertainment company could do is be direct in telling consumers when it’s making changes to how they purchase their games.
