PlayStation hits 30‑day DRM check reports

Sony has not issued a public statement, but reports this week say some new PS4 and PS5 digital purchases now require an online license check every 30 days. (gamespot.com) (kotaku.com) GameSpot reported on April 28 that the issue appears to affect PlayStation Store purchases made after March 2026, with older digital purchases apparently untouched. (gamespot.com) Kotaku reported on April 28 that users running the latest PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 firmware say recent digital purchases stop working after 30 days offline unless the console reconnects. (kotaku.com) Push Square said it could reproduce a 30-day validity notice on some newly purchased PS4 games, but not on PlayStation 5, where any timer may be hidden or absent. (pushsquare.com) The basic issue is a license handshake: the console checks Sony’s servers to confirm you still own a download, much like a streaming app verifying a subscription. PlayStation already uses license restoration tools when a purchased game shows a padlock icon. (playstation.com) Sony’s own support pages also say one activated PlayStation 5 can “play your games and media even when the console is offline.” The PlayStation 4 equivalent is activating one system as the primary PS4 console. (playstation.com 1) (playstation.com 2) That is why the current reports are hard to pin down. If the 30-day timer is intentional, it appears narrower than a blanket rule, because reporting so far points to newer purchases rather than every digital game in a library. (gamespot.com) (pushsquare.com) The evidence is also mixed on scope. Push Square said its testing pointed mainly to recent PS4 purchases, while GameSpot and Kotaku said players and preservation groups believe PS5 purchases are affected too. (pushsquare.com) (gamespot.com) (kotaku.com) Sony’s support site still tells players with locked games to restore licenses, enable PS5 Console Sharing and Offline Play, or activate a primary PS4. Those instructions were live on April 29, 2026. (playstation.com 1) (playstation.com 2) (playstation.com 3) Until Sony explains whether this is a bug, an anti-fraud measure, or a new rule, the clearest fact is narrower: recent digital purchases are under scrutiny, and offline access is the question players want answered. (gamespot.com) (kotaku.com)