Story perspectives

Sony Mandates 30-Day Online Checks for New Japanese Games

4/28/2026

Summary

Sony Requires Online

Sony will require digital PS4 and PS5 games bought in Japan after the March 2026 update to go online every 30 days or they will stop working.
Only post-update purchases are affected; earlier titles keep working, PS4 shows a “Valid Period” timer and PS5 shows an error after 30 days offline.
PlayStation Support gives mixed replies, with chatbots confirming the DRM and live agents denying an official policy, prompting concerns for offline gamers.

Summary

Sony Denies Check

The company has offered no comment on the new 30-day online licence check.
An anonymous insider said the DRM was added while Sony fixed a security exploit.
PlayStation support agents, including chatbots, have denied any 30-day re-authentication requirement.
Observers call the silence a PR hit they don’t need, recalling Sony’s 2021 CBOMB backlash.
Preservation site Does it play? noted the UI has existed for weeks without Sony’s clarification.

Summary

Sony Battery Lockout

Removing the console’s CMOS battery stops a purchased game until the system reconnects to PlayStation Network, revealing a hardware-dependent timer.
Players shared “Valid Period (End)” screenshots on Reddit, ResetEra and NeoGAF while swapping troubleshooting tips.
Guides advise PlayStation Network connection or the “Restore Licenses” function to reset the countdown and avoid lockouts.
Testers noted that after a firmware update or reconnection the expiration timer vanished from titles, indicating inconsistent behavior.

History

Historical Context

After the April 2011 external intrusion that forced Sony to shut down the PlayStation Network for 24 days and exposed about 77 million user accounts, the company overhauled its security. In 2026 Sony reinstated a 30-day online licence verification, echoing the 2011 breach’s legacy and prompting fresh scrutiny from regulators such as the U.S. FTC.

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Sony Requires Online

Sony will require digital PS4 and PS5 games bought in Japan after the March 2026 update to go online every 30 days or they will stop working.
Only post-update purchases are affected; earlier titles keep working, PS4 shows a “Valid Period” timer and PS5 shows an error after 30 days offline.
PlayStation Support gives mixed replies, with chatbots confirming the DRM and live agents denying an official policy, prompting concerns for offline gamers.

1 / 4