PlayStation 5 Quietly Introduces DRM Checks, Leaving Players Baffled

Reports are circulating that Sony has quietly added online DRM checks for newly released PlayStation 4 and 5 games, though the company has yet to clarify what this means for players. Fans noticed a new online check-in requirement over the weekend, as highlighted by game preservation source Does it play?. In a post on X/Twitter, Does it play? stated that "newly-purchased PS4 games now show a 30-day valid licence timer," something "most likely introduced in March 2026 firmware." The post added: "PS5 is affected too, but only shows an error when starting a game." This suggests Sony has implemented a background check on newly-bought digital games (purchased from March 2026 onward) to verify if players are using a legitimate copy, with a 30-day grace period if the console is offline. Numerous users have shared chat conversations with PlayStation's official customer support, but the agents seem unprepared, adding to the confusion. Many fans compare this to Sony's "CBOMB" issue from 2021, where a dead internal battery caused games to malfunction. After public outcry, Sony fixed that with system updates. "Can't believe Sony hasn't said anything yet considering how much attention it's getting," one fan wrote. Does it play? replied: "When we discovered the CBOMB, they denied its existence publicly, only to fix it quietly weeks later. Don't expect them to say anything. They've known about issues with their new DRM for weeks... They basically have to patch it, or the backlash will be monumental." IGN has contacted Sony for comment.