Sony might have quietly slipped in a new DRM check along with its March 2026 firmware update for the PS4 and PS5, according to Does it play?, a popular X handle focused on the preservation of digital games.
The X post highlighting the issue points out that recently purchased titles for the PS4 now have a system that verifies their licenses once every thirty days in an effort to ensure the legitimacy of a copy of the game in question. What’s more, the PS5 seems to have it too, although things are a little more subtle on the new console.
What that means is that you’re going to have to connect to the internet at least once every thirty days to keep playing a game that you’ve purchased after March 2026. Older games in your library remain unaffected, and you can keep playing offline once you do get your copy verified. The move has understandably created some confusion among players, a situation further exacerbated by the fact that Sony is yet to offer an official explanation.
IGN’s coverage of the situation draws attention to a similar situation from a while ago, which had a few players locked out of their purchases, thanks to a hardware issue that affected the PlayStation’s clock.
