- PlayStation 5 users have reported a new DRM feature that locks access to their games purchased online from the PSN store.
- In order to keep the access to the games active, users need to connect their PS5 to the internet every 30 days.
- While the new PlayStation DRM feature was rumored as a bug, chat support reports confirm it's a real change.
One thing that console gamers have truly appreciated over the years is the true ownership of the games they purchase. Whether it’s on a disc or a digital copy, Sony has always been at the forefront of console game sales on both mediums. Moreover, PlayStation also allows its users to play their downloaded or installed single-player games on the PS5 console offline. But soon that’s about to change as a new PlayStation DRM feature has been reported, which apparently locks you out of your owned games.
PlayStation DRM Feature Raises Concerns Over Losing Access to Purchased Titles
There’s been a bizarre rumor running around in the gaming community about PlayStation adding a mandatory 30-day internet check for games bought online for the PS5. The rumor, which was thought to be a bug at first, showed a timeline for a game to be logged in every 30 days to retain the offline access license.
Now the feature, which was reported as a bug, has been confirmed, thanks to a user who reached out to the PlayStation Support Online Assistant on the PS website. In the pictures shared on X of the chat window, when they asked about the reported DRM timer on their games that were purchased post-March 2026, the chatbot responded, “We understand your concern on this matter. While there hasn’t been a formal public announcement from PlayStation, the introduction of the 30-day DRM timer is meant to be a technical measure.”
To expand to the latest policies of the PlayStation 30-day timer on games bought online, the chatbot further laid out the full details, including Affected Content, Offline Functionality, Primary Console Restriction, and Valid Period. While we don’t know if these policies will carry on to the next gen PS6 console, but for the PS5, they are already live.
Here are the full details:
- Affected Content: Games purchased digitally after the March 2026 PlayStation update.
- Offline Functionality: If the console does not connect to the internet within 30 days, the license expires, and the game may refuse to launch until a connection is restored.
- Primary Console Restriction: Setting a console as “Primary” does not bypass this 30-day requirement.
Adding to the details, the chatbot further replied, “The 30-day is a Valid Period and is not a sign of an account restriction or anything like that.” You can check the Valid Period of a game by heading to the game information section on your PS5 console and get to know the exact date before when you’ll need to launch the game online to retain its offline playability license.
What do you think about this change? Do you believe PlayStation’s DRM is a good move? Let us know in the comments below!
