Link: https://xcancel.com/manfightdragon/status/2047928888907669530

Hugely terrible DRM has now been rolled out to all PS4 and PS5 digital games. Every digital game you buy now requires an online check-in every 30 days. If you buy a digital game and don't connect your console to the internet for 30 days, your license will be removed.

Source [2026-04-25; +image]

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You wouldn't "lose" it, the licence would be restored after connecting to internet... provided Sony's servers are still functioning when you do...

Source [2026-04-25]

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...Trophies on PS4 require the internal system clock (the one you can’t see / alter) to be correct, so people cant change their PS4 date/time to make it look like they got trophies earlier than they really did. If your PS4 clock battery dies, all your games die

Source [2021-03-23]

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Newly purchased PS4 games now have 30 day valid license timer.
Most likely introduced in March 2026 firmware.
Could be a bug similar to an incident from 2022.
PS5 is affected too, but only shows an error when starting a game.

Source [2026-04-25]

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Update x2: not a bug - PlayStation just quietly confirmed it’s intentional.
Any digital game you buy after the march 2026 update now requires you to go online at least once every 30 days or it won’t even launch.

Source [2026-04-28]

What kind of idiot would spend money on this shit?

Thanks for the heads up! Will now be buying different platform or physical from now on!

Some examples come to mind:

There's an aptly named "DRM" folder within each single PS Vita cartridge. Also, dumping any games in the console, including physical ones, requires launching it at least once so a plugin can generate a dummy license validator, but that means the game needs to be validated first (account/internet not required for cartridges but the technology is already halfway there).

Blurays need to be validated with keys that are constantly monitored, updated and when leaks are identified, revoked.

Windows Live.

Physical discs of Final Fantasy XI on the PS2 and Final Fantasy XIV on the PS3. Both have data in them, but good luck accessing them.

While physical can be a good starting point with the current state of right of ownership, physical doesn't mean DRM-free, right to repair, owning, etc., so beware of taking it for granted.