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Sony PlayStation 5 players face a distinct and unpredictable problem. Players who own digital-only games might lose access to their games after 30 days of inactivity on their PSN account. The initial speculation about the situation has now been confirmed by multiple media outlets and content creators who reported the change.
According to the ‘Does it play?’ account, “ a new DRM behavior has been found in the PlayStation Network.” Hikikomori Media (@hikikomorimedia), a content creator, took this further by testing the behavior on a PS5. The reports indicate that ‘Digital games purchased after March 2026 may only work offline for up to 30 days.’ After that, your console needs to reconnect to the internet to verify the license. If it does not, the game may simply refuse to launch, and you might lose access to it.”
The restriction looks like a timeout mechanism instead of the deletion of the existing game. The change has frustrated players who prefer offline gaming. Initial reports indicate that customers purchasing games after March 2026 are affected. Users from both PS5 and PS4 platforms have reported similar issues. However, the current state of older digital libraries remains unchanged.
Sony hasn't said a word officially. That silence is making things worse. This isn't a new argument. Physical discs allow uninterrupted offline play. Digital purchases depend on server-based license checks.
The system will block access when verification fails. It comes back to the same question: do you own a digital game or just a licence to play it?. whether Sony will address the issue or continue to deny the change.
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