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The new DRM on the PlayStation update is a disgrace to gaming, Sony should make a statement whenever this PlayStation Support message is real or faked.This issue with this 30-Day Timer being applied to all new purchases isn't about having an active internet connection, but the… pic.twitter.com/V35Ftf0Ux4 April 27, 2026
From what we've seen, this DRM is intended for digital game copies. It works by instating a mandatory online check-in where you have to connect to the internet within a rolling 30-day window or risk losing access to the game. Afterward, you can still restore access, but you'll need an internet connection to renew the game's license first. So far, it seems like only games installed after the recent March firmware update are affected.
Affected customers report that setting your PS4 or PS5 as the primary console doesn't alleviate this check-in policy either. No matter what, any game you download from now on will feature this new requirement, effectively eliminating the concept of offline play for even single-player titles.
You may like Sony increasing PlayStation 5 prices across all consoles, starting April 2 Industry murmurs suggest Sony will no longer release PS5 exclusives on PC Sony takes aim at Steam with dynamic discounts on the PlayStation Store Hugely terrible DRM has now been rolled out to all PS4 and PS5 digital games. Every digital game you buy now requires an online check-in every 30 days. If you buy a digital game and don't connect your console to the internet for 30 days, your license will be removed. pic.twitter.com/23gU16CIkx April 25, 2026
Unfortunately, this is a stark reminder of modern-day ownership terms, where you don't truly own a piece of software you buy — rather, you're just licensed to use it. Such access is maintained via DRM that pings to the distributor's servers to ensure developer-side control. This means if the distributor/dev suddenly decides it doesn't want to support the software anymore, you're out of luck even though you did things the legit way.
The community reaction to this apparent change has been visceral. Many point out how Sony has forgotten where it came from, given how it mocked Microsoft for using a similar policy back in the Xbox One days. You might remember the iconic E3 2013 presentation before the PS4's launch where the company proudly said its console "won't require you to check-in online." At the time, that approach was universally applauded, which only makes the current situation more ironic.
I’ve also been experimenting with this, and I can confirm that if your CMOS battery dies, any digital game with the timer becomes unplayable again, even if the console is set as the primary.This is a digital game I purchased with money yesterday. I didn’t claim it with PS Plus. https://t.co/FzNlfHnyIj pic.twitter.com/SFmjPdOg6c April 25, 2026
While PlayStation Support has confirmed this new DRM policy via its chatbots, Sony hasn't officially come out with a statement so far. Some users argued that only games acquired via PlayStation Plus are subject to this DRM, while others pointed out how a dead CMOS battery can also trigger the license expiration. We can't be sure without official communication from Sony, but it's obvious that rolling this change out silently and without warning is the worst possible approach.
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Reference reading
- https://www.tomshardware.com/video-games/playstation/SPONSORED_LINK_URL
- https://www.tomshardware.com/video-games/playstation/sony-rolls-out-30-day-online-drm-check-in-for-playstation-digital-games-players-could-temporarily-lose-access-if-they-dont-keep-their-consoles-online#main
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