Story perspectives

Sony Adds 30-Day Online Check for New Digital PS4/5 Games

4/29/2026

Summary

Story summary

Sony added a 30-day DRM check after the March 2026 update, requiring PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 consoles to connect to the internet within 30 days of a digital purchase or the game becomes unplayable.
PlayStation Support confirmed “Valid Period” and “Remaining Time” fields appear and that setting a console as Primary does not bypass the check.
Testing shows the restriction applies only to digital games purchased after the March 2026 update, while physical discs and earlier purchases remain playable.

History

Historical Context

When Microsoft expanded Xbox Live to the Xbox 360 in November 2005, the service required periodic online authentication and had already amassed roughly 2 million users by July that year. Sony’s 2026 PlayStation 4/5 update adopts a similar 30-day DRM check, echoing Microsoft’s early model and reviving debate over perpetual digital ownership among gamers.

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Story summary

Sony added a 30-day DRM check after the March 2026 update, requiring PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 consoles to connect to the internet within 30 days of a digital purchase or the game becomes unplayable.
PlayStation Support confirmed “Valid Period” and “Remaining Time” fields appear and that setting a console as Primary does not bypass the check.
Testing shows the restriction applies only to digital games purchased after the March 2026 update, while physical discs and earlier purchases remain playable.

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