Lance McDonald (@manfightdragon)
xcancel.com
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.

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]

[Image] "Don't Starve Together" (PlayStation)

  • rtxn@lemmy.worldEnglish
    111·
    23 hours ago

    Sony made a fucking Xbox One. Exactly the version that made the internet crucify Microsoft. This is incredible.

    • Passerby6497@lemmy.worldEnglish
      75·
      22 hours ago

      This is entirely on brand for Sony. Don’t forget, this is the same company that installed a rootkit on people’s computers for the audacity of *checks notes* putting their music CD into their computer.

    • halcyoncmdr@piefed.socialEnglish
      8·
      15 hours ago

      Exactly the version that made the internet crucify Microsoft.

      Not exactly. It’s actually worse.

      The Xbox system has your primary console get a permanent license, you only need to be online if you’re using a different console.

      This 30 day limit even applies to your primary Playstation console. Meaning the whole primary thing is effectively useless. At least as this system currently exists now.

    • brsrklf@jlai.luEnglish
      13·
      20 hours ago

      On the very console that owes a huge deal of its initial success to the comparison with the intended XBOne bullshit.

      Fucking hell.

    • SharkAttak@kbin.melroy.org
      15·
      22 hours ago

      And the whole board of directors nodded and clapped their hands. Nobody understood what it was about, but did it anyway.

      • Telodzrum@lemmy.worldEnglish
        2·
        18 hours ago

        This wasn’t a Board decision, it’s not nearly at that level (especially for a company with $80B in revenue). This was some software engineer with an idea and a need to impress his boss.

    • human.encoded@lemmy.zipEnglish
      6·
      21 hours ago

      This is exactly what I thought when I read this. That funny little commercial they made back then isn’t so funny now.