Tokyo — Sony has quietly introduced a new licensing system for digital games on PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5. Starting this month, owners must connect their consoles to the internet at least once every 30 days. Failing to do so will lock access to purchased games, even those bought outright.
The change affects all digital titles downloaded from the PlayStation Store. Physical discs remain unaffected. Users who keep their consoles offline for more than 30 days will see a message stating their games are unavailable due to licensing. Sony has not issued a public announcement about the update.
A Sony spokesperson confirmed the policy in a statement to Japanese media on April 24. The company described it as a standard measure to prevent piracy and ensure game integrity. No timeline has been given for when the system will expand to other regions beyond Japan.
Gamers in Japan have reported seeing the lockout screen after disconnecting their consoles from the internet. Some have expressed frustration over losing access to legally owned games. Sony has not provided details on how users can regain access once locked out.
The move follows similar steps by other console makers to tighten digital rights management. Sony’s decision comes as digital game sales continue to rise globally.
Source: itavisen.no