There has been conflicting information regarding a new PlayStation DRM feature, which reportedly renders games unusable after 30 days without an internet connection. Sony is now clarifying the situation.
Update from April 30, 2026:After much confusion and concern about a possible loss of game licenses if players do not go online with their console at least every 30 days, Sony has now issued a clarification.
Speaking to theGame Filenewsletter, a Sony spokesperson explained: “Players can continue to access and play their purchased games as usual. After purchase, a one-time online verification is required to confirm the game’s license. No further verifications are necessary after that.”
So, after a game has been activated online once, players can continue to use it even if the console or PlayStation servers are offline for an extended period. The question of why this new feature was introduced remains unanswered.
Original report from April 29, 2026:
Do PlayStation games now have an expiration date? According to some reports, players will lose the licenses for digital games if they haven’t been online with their PS5 or PS4 for more than 30 days. Fans were up in arms.
What’s the deal with PlayStation’s new DRM feature?
The origin of the report appears to be modder and content creator Lance McDonald. A few days ago on X, he described a new DRM feature according to whichdigital games lose their licenseif users do notgo online at least once every 30 days.
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. pic.twitter.com/23gU16CIkx
— Lance McDonald (@manfightdragon) April 25, 2026
The X post actually shows a screenshot displaying an expiration date for a game. The comments section is filled with anger and confusion.
However, the first post is missing a piece of information that McDonald only mentions in a comment a day later. The license, it says, is removed from the console, butnot from the account.
If the PlayStation reconnects to the internet, the game can be played again. According to this report, there is no expiration date. Incidentally, this is only displayed in the PS4 UI, but is also said to apply to the PS5.
Just a bug?
According to the X accountDoes It Play?, which is dedicated to preserving video games and hardware, Sony caused the problem while attempting to fix an exploit. The X account claims to have learned this information from ananonymous insider at Sony
Of course, no one at Sony accidentally developed a new DRM system while trying to fix a completely different problem. The system must have already existed on the consoles and was possibly activated unintentionally.
Confirmation from PlayStation Support
The response from the PlayStation Online Assistant is cited as official confirmation. However, the origin of the message you see in the following Reddit post remains unclear.
PlayStation Support confirms any digital games bought after March 2026 will have a 30-day timer until a internet connection is established.
byu/bluepsy inTwoBestFriendsPlay
The post confirms what McDonald has already said in summary, with the difference that it states that a gamemayno longer launch if the license has expired after 30 days without an internet connection.
The message also states that games will work again once the console is back online, and that this applies only to newly purchased games. However, a chatbot’s response should be viewed as no more than a semi-official confirmation from Sony.
There is now an official statement from Sony; you can find it in the update box above. This means there is no requirement for PlayStation 5 or 4 players to go online with their console at least once every 30 days. Players must “check in” online once after purchasing a new game to activate the license. After that, no further reactivation is necessary; the license remains valid permanently, even offline.
