PlayStation users have discovered a new issue with Sony’s Digital Rights Management (DRM), fueling the ongoing debate surrounding digital and physical games.
An X user took to socials to raise the alarm surrounding a “hugely terrible DRM” that’s been rolled out for PS5 and PS4 users.
Following the March 2026 firmware update for PS4 and PS5 consoles, every digital game purchased via Sony’s online marketplace requires an online check-in once every 30 days to keep the game active on their consoles.
The post, found by Push Square, received nearly 6.5 million views and sparked a wave of panic amongst PlayStation users.
The pro-physical media initiative, Does it Play, tentatively backed the claims, saying that potentially “all new PSN purchases now have a 30-day validation countdown.”
However, X users were quick to jump in, saying that the claims are “overblown.”
“It’s a bug affecting some PS4 purchases since March 25th, showing a 30-day 'Valid Period' on licenses. Sony hasn’t announced any new DRM policy,” said one user.
This comment sparked debate over whether the DRM update was intentional or not.
Does it Play claims that the DRM update is, in fact, “unintentional” as it relates to a bug that potentially occurred while Sony was fixing an exploit.
However, this claim remains unverified.
While this issue has been widely reported on social media, Sony hasn’t publicly addressed the updated DRM claims, despite users saying the “bug” has been confirmed by Sony’s support team.
This issue was first reported by Destruction Games in March and has only recently received significant traction online.
A tester for Does it Play said they’d downloaded multiple games online, and all of them came with a DRM licensing countdown.
However, games downloaded or purchased before March 2nd don’t have a timer.
The user who first posted the claim received significant backlash from PlayStation users, as their post seemed to suggest that if not used during the specific period, they would no longer own the titles.
Yet this isn’t the case, and the user revised their statement, clarifying that the game is only removed from your console – users don’t lose rights to the game entirely.
This alleged update adds fuel to the debate surrounding digital vs physical gaming, as situations like these erode trust between users and Sony.
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Purchasing games digitally is usually more convenient and cost-effective than buying physical titles.
However, these kinds of situations distress gamers because there is a lack of transparency surrounding digital rights and licenses to titles.
Lack of communication between users and the company causes chaos, leaving many users in the dark and forcing them to jump to conclusions, which they frequently present as fact on social media and other forums.
Sony responds to user claims
Days after users started noticing and reporting changes with Sony’s Digital Rights Management (DRM), the company has finally addressed the problem.
Some PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 owners were concerned about the new policy requiring a 30-day online license check for digital games.
“Players can continue to access and play their purchased games as usual. A one-time online check is required to confirm the game's license, after which no further check-ins are required,” a Sony spokesperson told GameSpot.
A game DRM is used as a way to control game access and combat piracy.
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