- PlayStation support has confirmed that the new always-online DRM isn’t a bug.
- The online service revealed that the policy is part of a new update.
- All games purchased after March 2026 will require an online check-in; otherwise, the license will be revoked.
For the last few days, the gaming community has been hotly debating the introduction of a new always-online DRM to the PlayStation Store. Insiders first reported that the gaming giant had rolled out this policy for digital purchases on both the PS4 and PS5.
However, later reports suggested that this new DRM was an unintentional bug that the company already knew about. Nevertheless, PlayStation has now officially confirmed that the always-online DRM is not a glitch, but rather an intentional update.
Why it matters: Revoking the license of a video game purchased at full price if the player doesn’t connect to the internet is an anti-consumer policy that won’t bode well with PlayStation users.
A PlayStation Support assistant has confirmed that the 30-day timer implemented by the new DRM policy is part of an update and isn’t a bug. While responding to a fan’s query, PS support revealed that all games purchased digitally after March 2026 will be affected by this time limit.
If your PS4 or PS5 does not connect to the internet within 30 days, the game’s license will expire, and it won’t launch on the console unless the connection is restored. Hence, every digital game you purchase from now on will require an online check-in, or else you will lose ownership.
PlayStation support also confirmed that setting your console as “Primary” will not bypass this 30-day requirement. Furthermore, older digital purchases won’t be affected by this new policy, and you can still launch them without a constant internet connection.
PlayStation is yet to make an official statement on this issue, and the Japanese giant’s silence is only making matters worse. Whatever the case, the company can expect the fan reaction to be even worse than the Playerbase initiative.
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Shameer Sarfaraz has previously worked for eXputer as a Senior News Writer for several years. Now with Tech4Gamers, he loves to devoutly keep up with the latest gaming and entertainment industries. He has a Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science and years of experience reporting on games. Besides his passion for breaking news stories, Shahmeer loves spending his leisure time farming away in Stardew Valley. VGC, IGN, GameSpot, Game Rant, TheGamer, GamingBolt, The Verge, NME, Metro, Dot Esports, GameByte, Kotaku Australia, PC Gamer, and more have cited his articles.
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