Your digital games are being put under the microscope at PlayStation. Every thirty days, actually, if the reports flooding the internet this weekend are correct. Some users reckon that a recent update pushed to PS4 and PS5 consoles is quietly checking your purchased games’ online licenses in the background — not just PS+ titles.
It’s a Damn Restrictive Mess, if you ask us
Potential major DRM issue rolled out by PlayStation (and Xbox as well, allegedly). All new PSN purchases now have a 30 day validation countdown. Already investigating to find out more details. pic.twitter.com/4hqMdWfJ2T
— Does it play? (@DoesItPlay1) April 25, 2026
It was X user ‘Does it play?’ (via GameSpot) that alerted us to the update, having spotted a 30-day timer on a recent purchase while using a PS4. That timer can’t actually be seen on the PS5, but it does still seem to be in play for now. This new policy seems to apply to digital purchases made from March onwards, and not before.
That tweet was posted three days ago. As you can imagine, gamers have wound themselves into a bit of a tizz in the days since. And rightfully, too. Sony checking if you have the correct license to one of your loaned-out PS Plus titles is one thing. But checking games that you (supposedly) own? That’s a bit of a slap in the face for everyone.
For one thing, it means you can’t disconnect your console from the internet for long periods, especially if you own a digital-only console without a disc drive. Sure, buying games and downloading those games requires a stable connection, but beyond that, you’d think it was yours to do with as you wish. Sony is allegedly taking away that power with DRM (Digital Rights Management), reminiscent of the early days of the Xbox One. And that worked out so well, right?
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We say “allegedly” because it’s still unclear if the change was accidentally introduced or not. Some have donned their tightest white armour to defend Sony, claiming it to be a mistake. Or worse — ‘not a big deal’. That may be true in this internet-connected age, but we still can’t deny that it feels wrong. That theory appears to have been shot down by a user asking PlayStation Support for clarification, and received this for an answer.
“Thank you for your interest on the 30-day Timer that is being applied to all new purchases,” it said. “If the console does not connect to the internet within 30 days, the license expires and the game may refuse to launch until a connection is restored. Setting a console as “Primary” does not bypass this 30-day requirement.”
Even so, it’s possible that Sony’s AI-powered bot was fed some false info and incorrectly spat that reply out. All eyes are on Sony, which has remained incredibly quiet since the news hit the web. If it truly was a mistake that’ll be patched out post-haste, why haven’t we heard about it? Sony’s silence is certainly telling…
