Uploaded April 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
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A new quirk has begun affecting PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 owners with digital game purchases. It appears the systems' latest updates have introduced a 30-day online license check for digital games, leaving those who have extended internet outages without access to certain games. However, Sony has clarified exactly how it works, and it seems like most players have nothing to worry about.
Several users, including the game-accessibility Twitter account Does it play?, have reported that all new PlayStation Store purchases--those made before March 2026 appear to be unaffected--feature a 30-day timer that shows when you will need to connect to the internet again before losing access. This timer doesn't appear to be visible on the PS5, but according to Does it play?, it is still being tracked in the background. that appears to be the case, with an SIE spokesperson telling GameSpot the following:
"Players can continue to access and play their purchased games as usual. A one-time online check is required to confirm the game's license, after which no further check-ins are required."
At least one major gaming company has wasted no time chiming in, however. Retailer GameStop published its own statement on the situation, emphasizing that this problem will not happen if you purchase physical games.
Game DRM has been a contentious issue for years, particularly with the launch of the Xbox One back in 2013. Originally, plans were in place to allow for users to install physical games to their systems and then no longer need the discs--instead, it would require online-license checks. This didn't go over particularly well, as you might recall, and Microsoft ultimately opted for a system much like the Xbox 360, but not before Sony mocked it with a cheeky ad of its own. Sony has provided a statement to GameSpot regarding the PSN license checks: "Players can continue to access and play their purchased games as usual. A one-time online check is required to confirm the game's license, after which no further check-ins are required."
Follow me on social media:
Instagram: instagram.com/dreamcastguy
BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/dreamcastguy.bsky.social
Twitch: twitch.tv/thedreamcastguy
A new quirk has begun affecting PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 owners with digital game purchases. It appears the systems' latest updates have introduced a 30-day online license check for digital games, leaving those who have extended internet outages without access to certain games. However, Sony has clarified exactly how it works, and it seems like most players have nothing to worry about.
Several users, including the game-accessibility Twitter account Does it play?, have reported that all new PlayStation Store purchases--those made before March 2026 appear to be unaffected--feature a 30-day timer that shows when you will need to connect to the internet again before losing access. This timer doesn't appear to be visible on the PS5, but according to Does it play?, it is still being tracked in the background. that appears to be the case, with an SIE spokesperson telling GameSpot the following:
"Players can continue to access and play their purchased games as usual. A one-time online check is required to confirm the game's license, after which no further check-ins are required."
At least one major gaming company has wasted no time chiming in, however. Retailer GameStop published its own statement on the situation, emphasizing that this problem will not happen if you purchase physical games.
Game DRM has been a contentious issue for years, particularly with the launch of the Xbox One back in 2013. Originally, plans were in place to allow for users to install physical games to their systems and then no longer need the discs--instead, it would require online-license checks. This didn't go over particularly well, as you might recall, and Microsoft ultimately opted for a system much like the Xbox 360, but not before Sony mocked it with a cheeky ad of its own. Sony has provided a statement to GameSpot regarding the PSN license checks: "Players can continue to access and play their purchased games as usual. A one-time online check is required to confirm the game's license, after which no further check-ins are required."
